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.
For this reason, people naturally gravitate toward people who are vulnerable. —
Kevin Kruse, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024 As is the case with most illnesses, older people and those with serious health conditions have always been the most vulnerable to dying from COVID-19. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024 The justification for a tactical tweak has grown stronger with every passing week, partly because of form but considering the positions Villa are vulnerable in also adds weight to the case for change. —Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024 Johnson wants to change the mindset that only LGBT folks are vulnerable. —Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 19 Dec. 2024 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 30 Dec. 2024.
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Last Updated: 22 Dec 2024 - Updated example sentences
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