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.
Jordan grapples with questions similar to those facing its gulf neighbors, all of which rely on the U.S. security umbrella that has exposed their nations to Iranian attack.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Yet people exposed to the same risks do not always experience the same outcome.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
Steel beams holding up the skyscraper are exposed in various corners of residential units - an homage to what made the original building so innovative.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
But the inability to convert means the trade would leave them exposed to big losses if the premium gets even bigger.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
I’m dressed in denim shorts and a red T-shirt, and the smooth metal surfaces are a cool shock against my exposed skin.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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.
