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
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Recent Examples of vulnerable
While the Buffalo secondary deserves a hat tip, the Chiefs’ offensive line — which had been good enough coming into the game — was porous (and injured) at times, leaving Mahomes vulnerable to take on some nasty hits.
—
Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2025
Targeting the vulnerable The orcas appear to have developed a specialized technique that reduces their risk of injury while attacking sharks.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
The next stage is to better establish which areas in Antarctica are vulnerable to the same process.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Newborns, adults over 65 and pregnant women are most vulnerable to the worst from listeria, which can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vulnerable
Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2025
Targeting the vulnerable The orcas appear to have developed a specialized technique that reduces their risk of injury while attacking sharks.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
The next stage is to better establish which areas in Antarctica are vulnerable to the same process.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Newborns, adults over 65 and pregnant women are most vulnerable to the worst from listeria, which can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vulnerable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vulnerable
Adjective
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The deterioration in the labor market has been concentrated in payroll employment, which is the [datapoint] that is the most susceptible to demographic and immigration changes.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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However, Arizona's hot and dry desert climate made Gilbert susceptible to drought and wildfires, causing the low ranking in natural disaster risk.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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People eventually outgrow the helpless-baby stage.—
Anna Louie Sussman,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
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Without money and without a means to earn it, women are helpless to determine the course of their own lives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Some people experience tactile allodynia, which happens when the central nervous system becomes extra sensitive to things that touch your skin.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
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Still, employees have also been left wondering why the moves needed to take place when so many employees remained furloughed and unaware of how sensitive hardware was being handled.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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With the expiration of TPS, these individuals are left completely unprotected and face the possibility of being detained or deported.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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Their stewardship has kept deforestation rates in Indigenous Lands in the Brazilian Amazon up to 83% lower than in unprotected areas globally.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The extensive exposed brick walls, natural wood exposed ceiling beams, and organic decor pieces are just a few details that will keep dinner guests guessing.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
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Defenseman Jacob Trouba stopped what seemed like a sure goal with his stick, helping goaltender Jakob Dostal by knocking away a shot headed toward an exposed side of the net.—
Josh Gross,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
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And then on Thursday, after most of the show had been written, a man collapsed in the Oval Office, generating an instantly meme-able photograph of the president staring into the camera, looking oblivious to efforts to revive the prone victim at stage left.—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vulnerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vulnerable. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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