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vulnerable

adjective
vul·​ner·​a·​ble | \ ˈvəl-n(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce vulnerable (audio) , ˈvəl-nər-bəl\

Definition of vulnerable

1 : capable of being physically or emotionally wounded
2 : open to attack or damage : assailable vulnerable to criticism
3 : liable to increased penalties but entitled to increased bonuses after winning a game in contract bridge
Other Words from vulnerable Synonyms & Antonyms The History of Vulnerable More Example Sentences Learn More about vulnerable

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Other Words from vulnerable

vulnerability \ ˌvəl-​n(ə-​)rə-​ˈbi-​lə-​tē How to pronounce vulnerability (audio) \ noun
vulnerableness \ ˈvəl-​n(ə-​)rə-​bəl-​nəs How to pronounce vulnerableness (audio) , ˈvəl-​nər-​bəl-​ \ noun
vulnerably \ ˈvəl-​n(ə-​)rə-​blē How to pronounce vulnerably (audio) , ˈvəl-​nər-​blē \ adverb

The History of Vulnerable

Vulnerable is ultimately derived from the Latin noun vulnus ("wound"). "Vulnus" led to the Latin verb vulnerare, meaning "to wound," and then to the Late Latin adjective vulnerabilis, which became "vulnerable" in English in the early 1600s. "Vulnerable" originally meant "capable of being physically wounded" or "having the power to wound" (the latter is now obsolete), but since the late 1600s, it has also been used figuratively to suggest a defenselessness against non-physical attacks. In other words, someone (or something) can be vulnerable to criticism or failure as well as to literal wounding. When it is used figuratively, "vulnerable" is often followed by the preposition "to."

Examples of vulnerable in a Sentence

He was very vulnerable after his divorce. The troops were in a vulnerable position. The fort was undefended and vulnerable.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 This, too, has contributed to giving her iconography a human and vulnerable aspect. — Vogue, "The Women Designers Who Changed The Way We Dress," 14 Aug. 2019 Coach James O’Connor believes this stems from the team’s tendency to break out of its defensive structure to launch onto the offensive, leaving the Lions vulnerable in transition on the counterattack. — Julia Poe, Pro Soccer USA, "Orlando City chases crucial win over Sporting Kansas City," 14 Aug. 2019 Shingletown, nicknamed Little Paradise, is one of the state’s most wildfire-vulnerable communities. — Special To The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive.com, "Wildfire toll leaves communities struggling to recover," 14 Aug. 2019 Thank you both for writing and publishing both compassionate and reasonable thoughts about road use and safety for vulnerable users. — Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, "Letters: Climate science says act now; No jobs, no illegal immigration; more responses (8/13/19)," 13 Aug. 2019 Other users advertise services for exploiting CVE-2019-20250, a critical vulnerability in the WinRAR file-compression program, which was being actively exploited earlier this year to install a host of nasty malware on vulnerable computers. — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, "Hacker site’s incriminating database published online by rival group," 13 Aug. 2019 Meanwhile, the present system looks more vulnerable than ever. — The Economist, "What comes after Bretton Woods II?," 13 Aug. 2019 Emboldened by xenophobic rhetoric and aided by tech platforms, government agencies like ICE are targeting the Latinx and undocumented communities, inflicting generational trauma onto vulnerable families and children. — Shirin Ghaffary, Vox, "After the El Paso and Gilroy shootings, tech leaders are saying platforms must stop amplifying hate speech," 13 Aug. 2019 However, the president is vulnerable among the general population, with only 42 percent of Americans approving of his job performance. — Dartunorro Clark, NBC News, "Scaramucci warns GOP that Biden could beat Trump in 2020," 12 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vulnerable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of vulnerable

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for vulnerable

Late Latin vulnerabilis, from Latin vulnerare to wound, from vulner-, vulnus wound; probably akin to Latin vellere to pluck, Greek oulē wound

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More Definitions for vulnerable

vulnerable

adjective
How to pronounce vulnerable (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of vulnerable

: easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally
: open to attack, harm, or damage

See the full definition for vulnerable in the English Language Learners Dictionary

vulnerable

adjective
vul·​ner·​a·​ble | \ ˈvəl-nə-rə-bəl How to pronounce vulnerable (audio) \

Kids Definition of vulnerable

1 : capable of being easily hurt or injured The patient is vulnerable to infection.
2 : open to attack or damage The troops were in a vulnerable position.

vulnerable

adjective
vul·​ner·​a·​ble | \ ˈvəln-(ə-)rə-bəl, ˈvəl-nər-bəl How to pronounce vulnerable (audio) \

Medical Definition of vulnerable

: capable of being hurt : susceptible to injury or disease the liver is itself vulnerable to nutritional impairment — Journal of the American Medical Association

Other Words from vulnerable

vulnerability \

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