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

Other Word Forms

• vulnerably adverb
• vulnerability noun
• vulnerableness noun
• unvulnerable 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

The Hammers pushed Liverpool close on Sunday, but they did not really threaten very much despite the Reds being so vulnerable defensively at the moment.

Read more on BBC

"Understanding that the brain's structural journey is not a question of steady progression, but rather one of a few major turning points, will help us identify when and how its wiring is vulnerable to disruption."

Read more on Science Daily

That can make people vulnerable, and it can also make well-intentioned children overprotective.

Read more on MarketWatch

"Sheep are very vulnerable to this, and if it gets into a sheep flock, there's a high mortality rate."

Read more on BBC

Communications watchdog Ofcom fined the telecoms giant after ruling it failed to protect vulnerable users of the devices, typically elderly and disabled people, during the transition from analogue to digital.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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