vulnerable

[ vuhl-ner-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. capable of or susceptible to being attacked, damaged, or hurt:

   a vulnerable part of the body;

   vulnerable to predators;

   a company vulnerable to a hostile takeover.

2. open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.:

   That is an argument vulnerable to refutation.

   He is vulnerable to bribery.

3. (of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend:

   a vulnerable bridge.

4. willing to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known:

   Men and boys are rarely seen as vulnerable.

5. (of a person or population) needing supportive or protective social services and community resources because of advanced age, poverty, disability, etc.
6. Bridge. having won one of the games of a rubber.
7. Biology, Ecology. (of a threatened plant or animal species) likely to be classified endangered in the near future unless circumstances that threaten reproduction and survival improve, as categorized by the IUCN Red List: : VU

   At least 15 percent of our vulnerable reptiles are turtles.

vulnerable

/ ˈvʌlnərəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being physically or emotionally wounded or hurt
2. open to temptation, persuasion, censure, etc
3. liable or exposed to disease, disaster, etc
4. military liable or exposed to attack
5. bridge (of a side who have won one game towards rubber) subject to increased bonuses or penalties

Derived Forms

• ˈvulnerably, adverb
• ˌvulneraˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• vul·ner·a·bil·i·ty [vuhl-ner-, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], vul·ner·a·ble·ness noun
• vul·ner·a·bly adverb
• un·vul·ner·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vulnerable¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Late Latin vulnerābilis “injurious, wounding,” equivalent to Latin vulnerā(re) “to wound” + -bilis; -ble

Word History and Origins

Origin of vulnerable¹

C17: from Late Latin vulnerābilis, from Latin vulnerāre to wound, from vulnus a wound

Example Sentences

He also called on "all sides" to protect civilians and minorities, and "ensure essential aid can reach the most vulnerable" in the coming hours and days.

From BBC

More than 10% of tenants spend more than 90% of their income on rent, making them vulnerable to ending up on the street.

From Los Angeles Times

The researchers said farming areas in the Central Valley and Southern California are especially vulnerable to economic damage.

From Los Angeles Times

At the time, public health officials said anti-vaccine misinformation had made the nation vulnerable.

From Los Angeles Times

Two light cruisers and the USS Utah lay off its starboard bow, and Battleship Row, the famed but vulnerable roadstead for the Navy’s mightiest, was on the other side of Ford Island.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accessible
• defenseless
• exposed
• liable
• ready
• sensitive
• susceptible
• unsafe
• weak