1
as in susceptible
being in a situation where one is likely to meet with harm
I'm vulnerable to sunburn whenever I go out in the sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in helpless
lacking protection from danger or resistance against attack
vulnerable baby chicks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vulnerable
Playing without star striker Maggie Currie, who was off with the U.S. U17 youth national team, Leigh was vulnerable, and the Cats pounced.
—
Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2025
The closures potentially reduce access to Social Security for some of the most vulnerable people in this country — including not just retirees but also individuals with severe physical and intellectual disabilities, as well as children whose parents have died and who’ve been left in poverty.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 22 Feb. 2025
His large building projects and expensive wars abroad, including campaigns to reconquer territories of the Western Roman Empire, drained the imperial treasury and eventually left the empire vulnerable to invasion.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025
The song manages to be vulnerable and hilarious and also sort of meta.
—Abby Aguirre, Vogue, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vulnerable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vulnerable
Adjective
-
Active ETFs, which trade in real-time, are also more susceptible to market swings unlike mutual funds which price once a day, Nicholson added.—
-
The latest development raises concerns about whether dairy cows may be more susceptible to the bird flu, which would increase the risk of cow-to-human transmission.—
Adjective
-
Gustavsson was equally helpless against Brad Marchand later in the first.—
-
Most Popular Most Popular As Liam McNeeley carries UConn men, Dan Hurley calls for ‘reinvention’ as rest of his team struggles A CT woman felt helpless as her dad screamed in pain.—
Adjective
-
This question asks for personal sensitive information that is protected by privacy laws.—
-
Many fractional leaders work across industries or sign non-compete agreements to avoid working with direct competitors, but companies must establish clear expectations to protect sensitive information.—
Adjective
-
That would have netted the Hornets an unprotected 2031 pick, a 2030 swap and Dalton Knecht for a talented but oft-injured center.—
-
With the trade being voided, rookie wing Dalton Knecht, veteran wing Cam Reddish and their 2031 unprotected first-round draft pick will return to the Lakers.—
Adjective
-
The story sounds like something right out of a horror movie: this fungus hacks the brain of its host, driving the normally shy spiders out of their lairs and webs to an exposed surface.—
-
Zuckerberg has just recently emerged from his own masculinist makeover, which turned him from a pale coder to a buff and bronzed bro, and his openly suggestive glance at Sanchez’s exposed chest seemed like an appropriate capstone to Trump’s Inaugural Address.—
Adjective
-
Francis had an acute case of pneumonia in 2023 and is prone to respiratory infections in winter.—
-
Francis previously suffered an acute case of pneumonia in 2023 and remains prone to respiratory infections during the winter months.—
Cite this Entry
“Vulnerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vulnerable. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share