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vulnerable

VUL-ner-uh-buhl /ˈvʌlnərəbl/

adjectiveB2GRESATTOEFLIELTS

GeneralFormal

Susceptible to physical or emotional attack, harm, or damage; unprotected and exposed.

Vulnerable describes a state of exposure where defenses are weak or non-existent, making harm highly likely if an attack occurs.

The story behind the word. The word 'vulnerable' comes from the Latin noun vulnus, meaning 'a wound,' and the verb vulnerare, meaning 'to wound.' Originally, in the 17th century, it was used in a strictly physical sense to describe soldiers who were unprotected by armor and therefore 'capable of being wounded.' Over time, its meaning broadened to include emotional and structural exposure.

Word relationships

susceptible: More commonly used for diseases or emotional influence, while vulnerable is preferred for physical security and structural weaknesses.
exposed: Refers to being visible or uncovered, whereas vulnerable emphasizes the risk of actual harm or damage.

invincible: Incapable of being defeated or harmed, whereas vulnerable is highly susceptible to harm.
secure: Safe and protected from danger, which is the direct opposite of vulnerable.

Commonly confused with

weak: Vulnerable means open to attack or damage, while weak refers to a general lack of physical or mental strength.

Word family

vulnerability (noun): The quality of being easily hurt or attacked.
vulnerably (adverb): In a way that is open to physical or emotional attack.

Collocations

highly vulnerable
vulnerable spot
vulnerable to attack
leave vulnerable

Example sentences

"The basement windows were vulnerable because they lacked security bars." Identifying weak spots in home defense.

Memory hook

Think of 'vulnerable' as 'vulture-able'—if you leave your home unprotected, it is 'vulnerable' to being picked apart by human vultures (thieves). A vulnerable house is vulture-able to thieves.

When not to use

Do not use 'vulnerable' to describe something that is simply weak but not in any danger of being attacked or damaged.

Fun facts

In cybersecurity, a 'zero-day vulnerability' is a software flaw that is unknown to the developers, leaving the system completely exposed to hackers until a patch is created.