vulnerable

adjective

ˈvəl-n(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce vulnerable (audio)
Definition of vulnerablenext
1
as in susceptible
being in a situation where one is likely to meet with harm I'm vulnerable to sunburn whenever I go out in the sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in helpless
lacking protection from danger or resistance against attack vulnerable baby chicks

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 vulnerable Based on the first novella in Martha Wells’ book series, Murderbot is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients, played by Skarsgård. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026 Look at what happened when mobile sports betting went live in Maryland in 2022, a shift that unleashed an immediate public health crisis across vulnerable communities without a single dollar allocated to address the harms. — Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026 Lithium processing is currently heavily concentrated in China, leaving countries vulnerable to supply shocks. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026 Households deemed the poorest and most vulnerable could receive up to $2,980 in the winter of 2019-20. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vulnerable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vulnerable
  1. susceptible
  2. helpless
  3. sensitive
  4. unprotected
  5. exposed
  6. prone
Adjective
  • In fact there are a number of herbs, vitamins, and prescription medications that can make your skin especially susceptible to sunburn, including some SSRIs, hypertension medications, and cholesterol-lowering medications.
    — Diana Helmuth, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Child development experts have noted teenagers are more susceptible to social comparison than adults, so products that reward popularity can be more harmful to their mental health.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • Our population feels sad, helpless, uneasy, fearful and worried — and with good reason.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Hundreds have felt helpless in the Via De La Paz, Pacific Palisades condominium complex, as the wildfire incinerated half of it.
    — Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of helpless
Adjective
  • Batteries can store electricity, but extreme cold can threaten sensitive electronics and other critical hardware.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
  • There are several hundred stars that closely orbit this giant black hole and are sensitive to its gravity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • Denver does get a 2031 unprotected first-round pick from Cleveland.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The Nuggets receive an unprotected 2031 first-round pick from the Cavaliers and a 2032 second-rounder from the Sacramento Kings.
    — Janis Carr, Oc Register, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of unprotected
Adjective
  • Morgan Stanley said Equinix and Digital Realty are less exposed because their facilities average roughly 5 to 10 megawatts, far below the gigawatt-scale AI campuses planned by hyperscalers and neocloud operators.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The fact that my life is so exposed is incredibly complex for me.
    — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of exposed
Adjective
  • The garage flooded first, followed by two back rooms closest to the field out back that’s prone to flooding.
    — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The planes, for example, will cool their heels in the desert of Arizona, where the weather is more hospitable to their corrosion-prone bodies.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of prone

Browse Nearby Words

vulnerability
vulnerable
vulnerableness
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Vulnerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vulnerable. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on vulnerable

Nglish: Translation of vulnerable for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of prowess

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All