defenseless

adjective

Definition of defenselessnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenseless
  1. vulnerable
  2. helpless
  3. susceptible
  4. unprotected
Adjective
  • Clemson was particularly vulnerable on the ground this season, allowing 160.6 rushing yards per game (85th) and 4.7 yards per carry (99th).
    Grace Raynor, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
  • What the culture needs instead, Way suggested, is to teach the value of empathy, of being vulnerable, of being curious about other people.
    Matthew Schnipper, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025
Definition of vulnerable
Adjective
  • The wind is bending thick swirls of flame over Sunset Boulevard and the firefighters are helpless to stop it.
    Matt Gutman, ABC News, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Buster the yellow Lab is a thicc fella who can stop, but will not stop, gleefully belly flopping into his swimming pool despite the increasingly helpless and desperately profane protestations of his mother.
    Julie Klausner, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Definition of helpless
Adjective
  • Consequently, consumers endure the worst of both worlds: a commodity that is susceptible to rapid price increases, lacking the infrastructure to reduce prices during periods of overproduction, all while relying on an emissions-intensive delivery system.
    Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Highly pathogenic avian influenza can infect domestic poultry, resulting in high sickness and death rates, officials said, and in this current outbreak, cattle, cats and other mammals also are susceptible.
    Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • Never store passwords in an unprotected digital document on your computer (no Google docs), and consider only storing your crypto seed phrases with pen and paper in a safe or locked box at home.
    Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 10 Jan. 2025
  • As the drones streamed video, the 19-ton Stryker accelerated across the field, turning sharply to line up on Russian soldiers caught unprotected in the snow.
    David Axe, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Definition of unprotected
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near defenseless

defense

defenseless

defenselessness

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Defenseless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defenseless. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on defenseless

Nglish: Translation of defenseless for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of defenseless for Arabic Speakers

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