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

Derived Forms

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

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

Dyer, who lived in Louisiana, had lost several members of his close family and prosecutors said he was "extremely vulnerable".

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

Earlier proposals have generally been vulnerable to a range of limitations that make real-world implementation challenging.

From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026

The higher requests are the latest evidence that the once-booming private-credit industry is still under investor pressure, following concerns about loan-losses, fraud and exposure to software companies that are looking vulnerable to artificial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

They said it limits their ability to speak broadly with detainees, particularly those from vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

She looked so young at that moment, so confused and vulnerable and lonely, and this, more than anything, made Mia feel she’d failed her.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Related Words

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