Definition of VULNERABLE (original) (raw)
1
: capable of being physically or emotionally wounded
3
: liable to increased penalties but entitled to increased bonuses after winning a game in contract bridge
Did you know?
Superheroes are often depicted in comic books and movies as all-powerful, deflecting boulders and missiles in mid-air with a flick of the wrist, walking through walls, and having indestructible skeletons and whatnot. Fans know, however, that even the mightiest, meatiest protagonist is vulnerable to something, be it kryptonite or forgetting the whereabouts of one’s hammer. Vulnerable ultimately comes from the Latin noun vulnus, meaning “wound,” by way of the Late Latin adjective vulnerabilis, which English speakers adopted as vulnerable in the early 1600s. Vulnerable continues to carry its original meaning of “capable of being physically wounded,” 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—even superheroes. So don’t go breaking their hearts, even if you can’t break their bones.
Synonyms
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
While Palantir excels operationally with recession-resilient contracts, its valuation leaves investors vulnerable to GDP declines; Palantir's stock could decline by -50% or more in a recession. —
Gurufocus, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025 Clemson was particularly vulnerable on the ground this season, allowing 160.6 rushing yards per game (85th) and 4.7 yards per carry (99th). —Grace Raynor, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025 What the culture needs instead, Way suggested, is to teach the value of empathy, of being vulnerable, of being curious about other people. —Matthew Schnipper, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2025 The proposal foregrounds the most vulnerable road users — 20 out of 32 people who died in 2024 were walking or biking, and two more were on electric scooters. —Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 4 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for vulnerable 
Word History
Etymology
Late Latin vulnerabilis, from Latin vulnerare to wound, from vulner-, vulnus wound; probably akin to Latin vellere to pluck, Greek oulē wound
First Known Use
circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of vulnerable was circa 1616
Dictionary Entries Near vulnerable
Cite this Entry
“Vulnerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vulnerable. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
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Last Updated: 9 Jan 2025 - Updated example sentences
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