exposed
Americanadjective
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left or being without shelter or protection.
The house stood on a windy, exposed cliff.
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laid open to view; unconcealed.
an exposed king of spades.
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susceptible to attack; vulnerable.
adjective
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not concealed; displayed for viewing
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without shelter from the elements
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susceptible to attack or criticism; vulnerable
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mountaineering (of a climb, pitch, or move) performed on a high, sheer, and unsheltered rock face
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exposed
Explanation
Something that's exposed is uncovered or unprotected. An exposed hillside isn't sheltered by hills, trees, or buildings, but is completely open to the wind and weather. If you venture out on a bitterly cold day with no gloves, your exposed fingers might get frostbite, and a soldier in battle with no body armor is dangerously exposed. If you leave a wooden chair outside all year long, exposed to rain and snow and sun, it will eventually fall apart. Exposed comes from the verb expose, "leave without shelter or defense," from the Latin root exponere, "lay open or reveal."
Vocabulary lists containing exposed
"Slam: Performance Poetry Lives On" and "Euphoria"
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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Uh-Oh: Synonyms for "Dangerous"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Khmelnytsky, whose brother was diagnosed with cancer related to the original disaster, is anxious that his efforts could have exposed him to high levels of radiation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026
As Hass delicately puts it, “The open divergences between Washington and its partners over the war’s legitimacy, execution, and fallout have exposed fissures that risk metastasizing to other issue areas over time.”
From Salon • Jun. 21, 2026
And an inexperienced XI including three debutants has been exposed by New Zealand, who look set to level the series at 1-1 to force a decide at Trent Bridge.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
As frozen ground degrades, previously buried minerals become exposed and water interacts more extensively with rock surfaces.
From Science Daily • Jun. 20, 2026
“If they’re all together, they can all be exposed to the virus.”
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
