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.

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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

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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

She typically acts unbothered, but on this vulnerable track, she sheds a little light on her lover girl personality as she romanticizes all the ways she wants to build a life with a new man.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Again, not a word about the coercive therapeutic context in which vulnerable minors will be subjected to those “ideas” and pressed to implement them.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2026

"Not only are children the most vulnerable to the effects of lead, but they're also the population that is going to be putting their clothes in their mouths," says Avello.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

Up to 6.9 million Bitcoin are vulnerable as their public keys are already exposed, allowing quantum systems to crack them anytime.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

A bashfulness came over Javier, and Moss appreciated that he wasn’t the only vulnerable one in the room.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Related Words

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