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
Chris Gallagher, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Some companies have reportedly dealt with safety issues, like bad actors who abuse the model to give harmful advice or prey on vulnerable people.
—Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 22 Nov. 2024
Four emerging faces, some of whom had never acted before, have captivated audiences with their vulnerable work.
—Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
Cliff Steinhauer, director of information security and engagement at The National Cybersecurity Alliance, said this is a vulnerable time for retailers.
—Evan Clark, WWD, 22 Nov. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near vulnerable
Cite this Entry
“Vulnerable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vulnerable. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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vulnerable
adjective
Medical Definition
vulnerable
adjective
The Journal of the American Medical Association
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