defenselessness

noun

as in vulnerability
the quality or state of having little resistance to some outside agent our utter defenselessness against the rising floodwaters quickly became apparent

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of defenselessness The fragile defenselessness of the proud has proven mesmerizing. — Lo Patrick, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenselessness
vulnerability
Noun
  • Buried in Róisín is a great album in the spirit of Tirzah, Dawuna, or, like, Cody ChesnuTT, that would locate the organic vulnerability of the outsider in the surreal enclosure of the bedroom studio.
    — H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Smith’s vulnerability proved to be just what the doctor ordered for Kansas City’s struggling pass rush.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of vulnerability

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defenseless
defenselessness
defenses
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Cite this Entry

“Defenselessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defenselessness. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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