vulnerable
adjective
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The History of Vulnerable
Superheroes are often depicted in comic books and movies as all-powerful, deflecting boulders and missiles in mid-air with a flick of the wrist, walking through walls, and having indestructible skeletons and whatnot. Fans know, however, that even the mightiest, meatiest protagonist is vulnerable to something, be it kryptonite or forgetting the whereabouts of one’s hammer. Vulnerable ultimately comes from the Latin noun vulnus, meaning “wound,” by way of the Late Latin adjective vulnerabilis, which English speakers adopted as vulnerable in the early 1600s. Vulnerable continues to carry its original meaning of “capable of being physically wounded,” but since the late 1600s it has also been used figuratively to suggest a defenselessness against non-physical attacks. In other words, someone (or something) can be vulnerable to criticism or failure as well as to literal wounding—even superheroes. So don’t go breaking their hearts, even if you can’t break their bones.
Synonyms
Examples of vulnerable in a Sentence
Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 Oct. 2024
Hamilton has looked vulnerable at times, even though its only loss has been to Basha.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 19 Oct. 2024
Companies are increasingly aware of the potential impact of these events on their operations and are cautious about committing to long-term leases or purchases in areas vulnerable to climate change.
—Allen Buchanan, Orange County Register, 19 Oct. 2024
Bearcats are considered vulnerable in some parts of their wild habitat and endangered in other parts, zoo officials said.
—Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 19 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for vulnerable 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vulnerable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near vulnerable
Cite this Entry
“Vulnerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vulnerable. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.
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vulnerable
adjective
Medical Definition
vulnerable
adjective
The Journal of the American Medical Association
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