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; see -ble

Explanation

Use the adjective vulnerable to describe something or someone open to being physically or emotionally wounded, like a newborn chick or an overly sensitive teenager. Vulnerable is from Latin and is based on vulnus, "wound." From its literal meaning, it has come to be more often used for someone who is easily hurt or likely to succumb to temptation. It's best used for a person whose feelings are so delicate that they can't withstand any criticism or pressure: "Don't speak harshly to her, she's very vulnerable today."

Example Sentences

But once harvested, mangoes continue to ripen quickly, making them highly vulnerable to softening, moisture loss, and spoilage during storage and transport.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2026

Her spleen had to be removed, leaving her vulnerable to infection.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

He suggested he had been misunderstood, saying his point had been that employers have a responsibility to move workers from jobs that are more vulnerable to automation into “higher-value roles.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Moody’s highlighted JPMorgan’s efforts to test post-quantum cryptography alongside its existing infrastructure and build “crypto-agile” systems designed to rapidly replace vulnerable encryption.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

I'm vulnerable and unarmed, but I've told her the truth, and somehow that gives me a sense of strength I’ve never felt before.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Related Words

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