vulnerability

[ vuhl-ner-uh-bil-i-tee ]

/ ˌvʌl nər əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

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See synonyms for: vulnerability / vulnerabilities on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

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.

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.

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

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Rarely vul·ner·a·ble·ness

[vuhl-ner-uh-buhl-nis] /ˈvʌl nər ə bəl nɪs/ .

Origin of vulnerability

First recorded in 1800–10; vulnerable + -ity

How to use vulnerability in a sentence

That makes devices more readily available to those who want to figure out vulnerabilities to exploit.
How Your Pacemaker Will Get Hacked|Kaiser Health News|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But he also reserved the right to keep certain vulnerabilities close-hold.
How Obama Endangered Us All With Stuxnet|Kim Zetter|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Who are we surprised to recognize in their vulnerabilities, in their resolve?
Real Thrills And High Art In A Poignant Page-Turner Of A Novel|Susan Cheever|May 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The temptation to stockpile vulnerabilities for offense is easy to understand.
The NSA Shouldn’t Stockpile Web Glitches|Richard Clarke, Peter Swire|April 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He found it “iffy,” he says, and he started searching for vulnerabilities.
Meet Graham Smith, SnapChat’s 16-Year-Old Nemesis|Nina Strochlic|January 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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

vulnerability

Origin of vulnerability

Words related to vulnerability

How to use vulnerability in a sentence