vulnerable

About 11.35 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. adjective More or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.

   You are vulnerable to be bullied by someone at school.

2. adjective Open to disclosing one's inner thoughts and feelings, acting in spite of one's instinct to self-preservation.

   It's okay to get vulnerable every now and again.

3. adjective More likely to be exposed to malicious programs or viruses.

   a vulnerable PC with no antivirus software

4. adjective at moderate risk of extinction though not quite endangered.

   Welsh is merely a vulnerable language, but Irish and Scottish Gaelic are definitely endangered.

Similar words

weak unsafe tender assailable susceptible defenseless defenceless insecure unguarded unprotected

Often followed by

to and in groups than position as point because

Word family

vulnerabilities vulnerability vulnerableness vulnerablenesses vulnerably