Vulnerable Meaning
/ˈvʌln(ə)ɹəbl̩/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjMore or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
adjMore or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally., Open to disclosing one's inner thoughts and feelings, acting in spite of one's instinct to self-preservation.
Sentence Examples
Mr Smith is vulnerable to this kind of criticism.
The balance of nature is very vulnerable.
These offices are highly vulnerable to terrorist attack.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Due to the broken lock, the house was especially ____ to thieves during the night.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Children and elderly people are often the most ____ groups during a major and sudden natural disaster today.
Word Origin & History
From Late Latin vulnerābilis (“injurious, wounding”), from Latin vulnerō (“to wound”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.’"
— 1925, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, chapter 1, in The Great Gatsby, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1953, →ISBN, →OCLC:
"The elimination of [Roger] Federer after [Rafael] Nadal's loss to Lukas Rosol would have created mild panic among the fans of these gloriously gifted but now clearly vulnerable geniuses."
— 2012 June 29, Kevin Mitchell, “Roger Federer back from Wimbledon 2012 brink to beat Julien Benneteau”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 15 Nov 2016:
"One particularly damaging, but often ignored, effect of conflict on education is the proliferation of attacks on schools[…]as children, teachers or school buildings become the targets of attacks. Parents fear sending their children to school. Girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence."
— 2013 July 19, Mark Tran, “Denied an education by war”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 1:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Due to the broken lock, the house was especially ____ to thieves during the night.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Children and elderly people are often the most ____ groups during a major and sudden natural disaster today.