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.
Appeared in the April 27, 2026, print edition as 'Security Flaw Left President Exposed To D.C.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
In the past year, the Goldman Sachs TMT Memory Exposed Index has risen 350%, Krinsky noted, and was up more than 400% at its peak in February.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026
Called Nebula PMR 1, the object has a striking appearance that resembles a brain inside a transparent skull, which is why it has been nicknamed the "Exposed Cranium" nebula.
From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026
Exposed individuals who have been free of symptoms for more than 21 days are no longer at risk.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025
Exposed pipes crisscrossed the high ceilings, snaking in and out of some fleshy-looking gooey substance.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
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.
