Vulnerable
Susceptible to physical or emotional harm; easily affected by danger, attack, or distress.
adjectiveVulnerable
Susceptible to physical or emotional harm; easily affected by danger, attack, or distress.
adjectiveImagine This
Picture a delicate glass statue placed near a busy street. A light breeze and a stray hand could shatter it—it's highly vulnerable to every little threat.
Sounds Like
VULL-nuh-ruh-buhl
Looks Like
Looks like related forms such as vulnerability and vulnerableness; shares the same root 'vuln' (wound).
Remember This
Root comes from Latin vulnerabilis 'woundable', from vulnus 'wound'; in English it commonly pairs with 'to' (vulnerable to something).
Other Forms
Connect With
susceptible, exposed, risk, defenseless, fragile, endangered, insecure
Note
Do not confuse with invulnerable (immune to harm). Use 'vulnerable to' with threats like disease, attack, or criticism. Also note the common noun form 'vulnerability'.