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vulnerable

/ˈvʌln(ə)ɹəbl̩/ /ˈvʌn(ə)ɹəbl̩/ (proscribed)syllables: vul·ner·a·ble
  • adjective
  • from Late Latin

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

▶ Play the mastery game

1 All current definitions

Every sense of “vulnerable” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

adjective

  1. 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. More 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.

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

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

    a vulnerable PC with no antivirus software

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

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

Wiktionary: “vulnerable” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (3)
  1. adjectivesusceptible to attack
  2. adjectivesusceptible to criticism or persuasion or temptation
  3. adjectivecapable of being wounded or hurt
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: defenceless, helpless, powerless, unguarded, unprotected, weak, woundable, soft

Antonyms: durable, indomitable, invincible, invulnerable, powerful, strong

Wiktionary: “vulnerable” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)vulnerable
  2. Late Latinvulnerābilis “injurious, wounding”
  3. Latinvulnerō “to wound”

From Late Latin vulnerābilis (“injurious, wounding”), from Latin vulnerō (“to wound”).

Wiktionary: “vulnerable” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “vulnerable”

hypervulnerablenonvulnerablesupervulnerableultravulnerableunvulnerablevulnerabilityvulnerablenessvulnerably
Wiktionary: “vulnerable” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “vulnerable” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “vulnerable” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Late Latin
Late Latin vulnerābilis “injurious, wounding”
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin vulnerō “to wound”
Wiktionary: “vulnerable” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Latin
“to wound”
Latin vulnerō
Wiktionary: “vulnerable” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

vulnerable a. [L. vulnerabilis wounding, injurious, from vulnerare to wound, vulnus a wound; akin to Skr. vra: cf. F. vuln.]

  1. Capable of being wounded; susceptible of wounds or external injuries; as, a vulnerable body.
  2. Liable to injury; subject to be affected injuriously; assailable; as, a vulnerable reputation.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

adjectiveMeaning: 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.

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:

adjectiveMeaning: 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.

adjectiveMeaning: More likely to be exposed to malicious programs or viruses.

a vulnerable PC with no antivirus software

adjectiveMeaning: at moderate risk of extinction though not quite endangered.

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

adjectiveMeaning: susceptible to attack

a vulnerable bridge

adjectiveMeaning: susceptible to criticism or persuasion or temptation

vulnerable to bribery

an argument vulnerable to refutation

adjectiveMeaning: capable of being wounded or hurt

vulnerable parts of the body

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “vulnerable” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 10

Say it, then spell it

vulnerable

/ˈvʌln(ə)ɹəbl̩/ · vul·ner·a·ble

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

vulnerable

/ˈvʌln(ə)ɹəbl̩/ · vul·ner·a·ble · adjective

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “vulnerable” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (adjective) More or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
2. (adjective) Open to disclosing one's inner thoughts and feelings, acting in spite of one's instinct to self-preservation.
3. (adjective) More likely to be exposed to malicious programs or viruses.
4. (adjective) at moderate risk of extinction though not quite endangered.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“You are vulnerable to be bullied by someone at school.”

A. More likely to be exposed to malicious programs or viruses.
B. More or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
C. at moderate risk of extinction though not quite endangered.

Circle the meaning used.

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

A. at moderate risk of extinction though not quite endangered.
B. More or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
C. Open to disclosing one's inner thoughts and feelings, acting in spite of one's instinct to self-preservation.

Circle the meaning used.

“a vulnerable PC with no antivirus software”

A. More likely to be exposed to malicious programs or viruses.
B. Open to disclosing one's inner thoughts and feelings, acting in spite of one's instinct to self-preservation.
C. at moderate risk of extinction though not quite endangered.

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “vulnerable” come into English from?   A. Late Latin  B. Medieval Latin  C. New Latin  D. Ancient Greek

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “vulnerable” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Latin vulnerō. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “vulnerable” to mean: More or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
Write a sentence using “vulnerable” to mean: Open to disclosing one's inner thoughts and feelings, acting in spite of one's instinct to self-preservation.
Write a sentence using “vulnerable” to mean: More likely to be exposed to malicious programs or viruses.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — vulnerable

Which meaning, sentence 1: B. More or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.

Which meaning, sentence 2: C. Open to disclosing one's inner thoughts and feelings, acting in spite of one's instinct to self-preservation.

Which meaning, sentence 3: A. More likely to be exposed to malicious programs or viruses.

Origin: A. Late Latin (Late Latin vulnerābilis)

Journey: English vulnerable ← Late Latin vulnerābilis ← Latin vulnerō

Some derivatives: hypervulnerable, nonvulnerable, supervulnerable, ultravulnerable, unvulnerable, vulnerability, vulnerableness, vulnerably

Original meaning: Latin vulnerō — “to wound”

Etymology: From Late Latin vulnerābilis (“injurious, wounding”), from Latin vulnerō (“to wound”).

Sources: Wiktionary “vulnerable” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vulnerable#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/vulnerable