vulnerable
Easy to hurt or attack because of being weak or unprotected.
vulnerable in a sentence
- The baby turtles are most vulnerable during their dash from nest to sea.
- Left outside in the frost, the young plants were vulnerable and needed covering overnight.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to vulnerable?
- Aexposed
- Bstrong
- Csafe
- Dprotected
Show the answer
A: exposed. The other three mean the opposite of vulnerable.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to vulnerable?
- Aweak
- Bexposed
- Csafe
- Dhelpless
Show the answer
C: safe. The other three mean nearly the same as vulnerable.
Words that mean something similar
exposed, helpless, weak
Words that mean the opposite
safe, protected, strong
More words about character & personality
- wily: Clever at tricking people.
- witty: Clever and funny with words.
- worthy: Deserving respect, praise or attention.
- zany: Funny in a strange, silly way.
- zealous: Full of huge energy and enthusiasm for something.
- acquainted: Knowing someone or something, often only a little.
- adamant: Completely sure about something and refusing to be talked out of it.
- affable: Friendly, relaxed and easy to talk to.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test