Vulnerability Meaning
/ˌvʌln(ə)ɹəˈbɪlɪti/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe state of being vulnerable; susceptibility to attack or injury, either physical or emotional; the state or condition of being weak or poorly defended.
nounA specific weakness in the protections or defences surrounding someone or something.
Sentence Examples
Despite her hard exterior, she had a certain vulnerability that made her quite endearing.
Embrace your vulnerability, feel your fear, love fully.
The vulnerability of newborn babies to disease
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The security audit revealed a major ____ in the computer system, allowing hackers to enter easily.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The report highlighted the ____ of the city's power grid to extreme weather conditions like several heavy storms today.
Word Origin & History
From vulnerable + -ity.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The only disadvantage of timber snow fencing is its extreme vulnerability to fire."
— 1960 January 26, M. Harbottle, “Maintaining Services after Heavy Snowfalls”, in Railway Magazine, page 9:
"Though scientists do not know how stress affects gestation, Fukuda theorizes that the vulnerability of Y-bearing sperm cells, male embryos and/or male fetuses to stress is why “subtle significant changes in sex ratios” occur."
— 2019 January 23, Susan Scutti, “Climate change will affect gender ratio among newborns, scientists say”, in CNN:
"Again, voice change is not easy and vulnerability plays a big part, but if choral teachers and adolescent singers approach it with the right mindframe, the experience can be empowering, enlightening, and restorative for all involved."
— 2019, Bridget Sweet, Thinking Outside the Voice Box, page 71:
"Experts told CNN it could take weeks to address the vulnerabilities and that suspected Chinese hackers are already attempting to exploit it."
— 2021 December 13, Sean Lyngaas, “US warns hundreds of millions of devices at risk from newly revealed software vulnerability”, in CNN:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The security audit revealed a major ____ in the computer system, allowing hackers to enter easily.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The report highlighted the ____ of the city's power grid to extreme weather conditions like several heavy storms today.