vulnerability
vul-ner-uh-BIL-ih-tee
/ˌvʌl.nər.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/
The quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
In safety and tech, it refers to a specific weakness that could be exploited.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'vulnus', meaning 'wound'. To be vulnerable is to be 'woundable' or able to be hurt.
Word relationships
- weakness: Weakness is general; vulnerability implies that the weakness makes you open to a specific harm.
- resilience: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
- invulnerability: The state of being impossible to harm or damage.
Commonly confused with
- risk: Vulnerability is the 'hole' in the fence; risk is the chance a wolf will find it.
Word family
- vulnerable (adjective): Susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm.
Collocations
- security vulnerability
- exploit a vulnerability
- economic vulnerability
- vulnerability assessment
Example sentences
- "The software update patched a critical security vulnerability that could have allowed hackers to steal passwords." Cybersecurity
- "The study highlighted the vulnerability of low-lying coastal communities to rising sea levels." Social Science
Memory hook
A 'Vulnerable' person is like a 'Valuable' vase that is easy to break. Able to be wounded.
When not to use
Don't confuse it with 'risk'. Vulnerability is the weakness; risk is the chance that the weakness will be used to cause harm.
Fun facts
- In chess, a 'vulnerability' often refers to a king that is poorly protected by its pawns.
Explore more words
vulnerable, Exposure, susceptibility, exploitation, ambush, tender
Also appears in
- Relationships → Intimacy & Closeness
- Technology → Cybersecurity & Privacy
- Technology → Technical Failures & Glitches
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Environmental Justice & Equity
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Disaster Mitigation & Resilience
- Military Science & Warfare → Cyber Warfare & Sabotage
- Criminology, Law Enforcement & Penal Systems → Cybercrime & Digital Fraud
- Digital Life & Internet Culture → Cybersecurity Habits
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