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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Vulnerable: Definition, Usage & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：easily hurt (vulnerable)

vulnerable 🔊

/ˈvʌlnərəbl/

adj.

Easily hurt, either physically or emotionally; not strong or protected.

Vulnerable meaning illustrated by hands holding a delicate, cracked porcelain teacup.

easily hurt 🔊

➕

/ˈiːzəli hɜːrt/

adj.

Describes a state where someone or something can be easily injured or emotionally affected due to weakness or lack of protection.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'vulnus' meaning 'wound', with suffix -able indicating capability.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'vuln' as in vulnerability – you are able to be wounded.

📖 Example

After the long illness, she felt vulnerable and tired all the time. 🔊 Following a prolonged illness, she felt easily hurt and constantly fatigued.

🔗 Collocations

feel vulnerable – to experience a sense of being easily hurt or exposed

be vulnerable to – to be at risk of being harmed by something

highly vulnerable – extremely susceptible to harm

🔄 Synonyms

sensitive (adj.) – easily affected or offended

fragile (adj.) – easily broken or damaged

exposed (adj.) – left unprotected and open to harm

🚫 Antonyms

invulnerable (adj.) – impossible to harm or damage

resilient (adj.) – able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions

strong (adj.) – having the power to resist harm or stress

🌱 Derivatives

vulnerability (n.) – the state of being vulnerable

invulnerable (adj.) – not vulnerable; incapable of being wounded

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'vulnerabilis' (woundable). Now widely used in fields like cybersecurity to describe systems open to attack, and in social sciences for at-risk populations.

Meaning 2：at risk (vulnerable)

vulnerable 🔊

/ˈvʌlnərəbl/

adj.

Describing someone or a group who is more likely to experience harm because they lack protection or are in a difficult situation.

at risk 🔊

➕

/æt rɪsk/

adj.

Refers to individuals or groups that are in a position where they are more susceptible to harm due to lack of resources, protection, or difficult circumstances.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

Children and the elderly are often the most vulnerable members of society and need extra care. 🔊 Children and the elderly are frequently the most at-risk individuals in society and require additional care.

🔗 Collocations

vulnerable groups – populations that are at higher risk of harm

economically vulnerable – financially at risk or insecure

make vulnerable – to cause someone or something to be at risk

🔄 Synonyms

endangered (adj.) – at risk of extinction or harm

precarious (adj.) – not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse

susceptible (adj.) – likely to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing

🚫 Antonyms

secure (adj.) – protected against harm or danger

protected (adj.) – kept safe from harm or injury

safe (adj.) – free from harm or risk

🌱 Derivatives

vulnerability (n.) – the state of being vulnerable

invulnerable (adj.) – not vulnerable; incapable of being wounded