vulnerable
Americanadjective
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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.
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open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc..
That is an argument vulnerable to refutation.
He is vulnerable to bribery.
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(of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend.
a vulnerable bridge.
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willing to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known.
Men and boys are rarely seen as vulnerable.
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(of a person or population) needing supportive or protective social services and community resources because of advanced age, poverty, disability, etc.
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Bridge. having won one of the games of a rubber.
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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.
adjective
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capable of being physically or emotionally wounded or hurt
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open to temptation, persuasion, censure, etc
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liable or exposed to disease, disaster, etc
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military liable or exposed to attack
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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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The attacks once again highlighted the capabilities of Israel’s intelligence services and its ability to catch its enemies vulnerable and unaware.
They also argue the cameras help agencies spot patterns in drug and human trafficking, and could be used to help locate missing persons, such as children or other vulnerable people.
From Los Angeles Times
By examining nearly 7 million individual cells from mice at three different ages, the team identified which cells are most vulnerable over time and what factors may be driving their decline.
From Science Daily
Commercial ships, US- or Israeli-linked businesses or cultural institutions, or a wide range of other vulnerable locations could be at risk.
From Barron's
Commercial ships, US- or Israeli-linked businesses or cultural institutions, or a wide range of other vulnerable locations could be at risk.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
