View synonyms for

vulnerability

[ vuhl-ner-uh-bil-i-tee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

openness or susceptibility to attack or harm:
We need to develop bold policies that will reduce the vulnerability of farmers to drought and floods.
willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known; willingness to risk being emotionally hurt:
The foundation for open communication consists of honesty, trust, and vulnerability.
the condition of needing supportive or protective social services and community resources because of advanced age, poverty, disability, etc.:
the vulnerability of disabled senior citizens.
Biology, Ecology. likeliness to be classified as an endangered species in the near future unless circumstances improve:
the vulnerability of the giraffe.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of vulnerability¹

First recorded in 1800–10; vulnerable ( def ) + -ity ( def )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Trump has delivered a dramatic fall in the number of migrants crossing illegally into the US, but the economy is a potential political vulnerability as he wages a global trade war.

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The cry here is not one of vulnerability or angst but the unruly register of creative freedom, of calling your power back.

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Those early records showcased an ability to move between sharp satire, tender vulnerability and the experiences of Northern Ireland's "ceasefire babies" - the generation born around the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

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But in the past year he has became a full-time bug hunter and independent security researcher, meaning he scours organizations' computer infrastructure for security vulnerabilities.

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There’s a vulnerability to the character that I like.

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Related Words

susceptibility

vulned vulnerable

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