as in vulnerable
lacking protection from danger or resistance against attack
the lack of warm clothing left the hikers defenseless against the unexpected cold snap
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Recent Examples of defenseless
White warmly greeted the controversial Tate brothers, Andrew and Tristan, at an event in Las Vegas for Power Slap—another combat-sports offering, founded by White in 2022, involving one person striking their defenseless opponent with all their might.
—
Sean Gregory, Time, 26 May 2026
This was not a case of a fighter taking free shots while defenseless.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
If one bomb hit just right, all military communications could go down, leaving the entire country essentially defenseless.
—Laura Isensee, Scientific American, 18 May 2026
By contrast, the publication of his translation of Kafka in Italian in the spring of 1983 left him feeling empty, helpless, defenseless.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The play was widely denounced after Greig bloodied a defenseless Walker with an uppercut to the face while Walker was held in a headlock by another Senators player.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Javier Cabello, founder of the Chiloé Silvestre NGO, has warned that the species’ small size leaves it especially defenseless in these situations — particularly in areas where roads cut through forest habitat.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Vegas' Mitch Marner skated into the high slot and his shot ricocheted off two Dallas players and landed near Smith, who scored from close range past a defenseless Casey DeSmith.
—CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
Rules that protect defenseless players should be followed and enforced to the letter of the law.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Sean Gregory, Time, 26 May 2026
This was not a case of a fighter taking free shots while defenseless.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
If one bomb hit just right, all military communications could go down, leaving the entire country essentially defenseless.
—Laura Isensee, Scientific American, 18 May 2026
By contrast, the publication of his translation of Kafka in Italian in the spring of 1983 left him feeling empty, helpless, defenseless.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
The play was widely denounced after Greig bloodied a defenseless Walker with an uppercut to the face while Walker was held in a headlock by another Senators player.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Javier Cabello, founder of the Chiloé Silvestre NGO, has warned that the species’ small size leaves it especially defenseless in these situations — particularly in areas where roads cut through forest habitat.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Vegas' Mitch Marner skated into the high slot and his shot ricocheted off two Dallas players and landed near Smith, who scored from close range past a defenseless Casey DeSmith.
—CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
Rules that protect defenseless players should be followed and enforced to the letter of the law.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenseless
Adjective
-
Wildfire resiliency advocates are warning that the loss of these funds will leave the state vulnerable to devastation, and are calling on California’s next governor to take that threat seriously.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Why are school lunches still vulnerable to industry pressure?—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
The child was helpless against the power of the surging surf, injured while tossed by the waves.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
4 June 2026
-
American society—grotesquely unequal and divided, helpless before its demagogic and oligarchic manipulators—is no longer a stranger to the dark ambiguities of lopsided economic progress.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Peaches are susceptible to several diseases, including peach leaf curl, brown rot, bacterial spot, and peach scab, as well as plum curculio and other pests.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
-
Commercial country music, a format of songwriting that is at least somewhat reliant on wordplay and the constant re-arranging of a familiar set of symbols (trucks, mud, whiskey, and so forth), can be particularly susceptible to the accusations.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
The stretch between High Camp and Denali Pass has been the site of numerous injuries and fatalities over the years, with many incidents involving unprotected falls, according to reports.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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Not necessarily, but there’s the additional factor of a Knights win meaning the second-rounder from the Andersson trade becomes an unprotected first.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defenseless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defenseless. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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