vulnerability

[ vuhl-ner-uh-bil-i-tee ]
See synonyms for: vulnerabilityvulnerabilities on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. openness or susceptibility to attack or harm: We need to develop bold policies that will reduce the vulnerability of farmers to drought and floods.

  2. willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known; willingness to risk being emotionally hurt: The foundation for open communication consists of honesty, trust, and vulnerability.

  1. the condition of needing supportive or protective social services and community resources because of advanced age, poverty, disability, etc.: the vulnerability of disabled senior citizens.

  2. Biology,Ecology. likeliness to be classified as an endangered species in the near future unless circumstances improve: the vulnerability of the giraffe.

Origin of vulnerability

1
First recorded in 1800–10; vulnerable + -ity
  • Rarely vul·ner·a·ble·ness [vuhl-ner-uh-buhl-nis] /ˈvʌl nər ə bəl nɪs/ .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use vulnerability in a sentence

  • And publishing vulnerabilities forces security designers to design better security, and makes us all better consumers of security.

    Little Brother | Cory Doctorow
  • The promise of computational technologies brings with it potential vulnerabilities that must be protected against threats.

    Shock and Awe | Harlan K. Ullman
  • We are all too well aware that any strategy and force structure have vulnerabilities and potential weaknesses.

    Shock and Awe | Harlan K. Ullman
  • The typical exploiter of these vulnerabilities is a foreigner.

    After the Rain | Sam Vaknin