vulnerable

American  

[vuhl-ner-uh-buhl] / ˈvʌl nər ə bəl /

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 British  

/ 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

---

Other Word Forms

• unvulnerable adjective
• vulnerability noun
• vulnerableness noun
• vulnerably adverb

Etymology

Origin of vulnerable

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

Example Sentences

A charity that gives free clothing to families and vulnerable people has said it faces closure unless it can bring in more money.

From BBC

Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Asia this week seeking to broaden international trade, part of his plan to reduce Canadian reliance on the United States, which he says has left the country vulnerable.

From Barron's

Cybersecurity stocks have struggled alongside the broader software space over the past year, as investors rotate out of companies seen as vulnerable to competition from AI.

From Barron's

During any attack on Iran, American pilots could be vulnerable to Iranian air defenses during multiple bombing runs, according to officials.

From The Wall Street Journal

Treasurys could be vulnerable as this raises uncertainty over tariff policies and potential concerns about U.S. government funding, Commerzbank analysts said in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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