Meaning & use
vulnerable
Open to physical or emotional harm, attack, or damage because of weak or exposed conditions.
See it in a sentence
Elderly residents were especially vulnerable during the heat wave without air conditioning.
Admitting his mistake in front of the team made him feel unusually vulnerable.
A note on using this word
Applies to both physical danger and emotional openness, and often pairs with to, as in vulnerable to criticism.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
invulnerableprotected
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