vulnerability

/ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌvəln(ə)rəˈbilətē -lətē, -i/ (ame, mw)

vulnerability — noun

  • vulnerabilitysingular
  • vulnerabilitiesplural

1. a situation in which someone or something is not protected against harm, damage,

1.名詞B2
釋義

a situation in which someone or something is not protected against harm, damage, or attack; also, a particular point of weakness that allows such harm to happen.

例句

Ignacio's vulnerability during the divorce surprised everyone who knew him.

possessive + vulnerability (personal/emotional state)

The security team found several vulnerabilities in the hospital's computer system.

countable: vulnerabilities + in + [system]

同義詞
  • weakness

    more general and common; can refer to any flaw or limitation, while vulnerability specifically implies openness to attack or harm

  • susceptibility

    more formal and often used in medical or scientific contexts (e.g. susceptibility to disease)

  • fragility

    emphasises the quality of being easily broken or damaged, often used for physical objects or emotional states

  • exposure

    focuses on the lack of protection rather than an inherent weakness; often used in financial or environmental contexts

反義詞
  • strength

    the quality of being strong and able to resist harm

  • resilience

    the ability to recover quickly from harm or difficulty

  • protection

    the state of being kept safe from harm or injury

文法句型

vulnerability + to + [threat]

vulnerability + in + [system/place/structure]

vulnerability + of + [person/thing]

show / expose / reveal / admit vulnerability

用法筆記

Countable (a vulnerability / vulnerabilities) when referring to a specific weak point in a system, argument, or structure; uncountable when describing the general condition of being open to harm. Common with the prepositions 'to' (identifying the threat) and 'of' (identifying the person or thing at risk).

常見錯誤

❌We need to fix the vulnerability of the software.
✅We need to fix the vulnerabilities in the software.
💡Use 'vulnerability in' (specific weak point within something), not 'vulnerability of' (general state), when talking about a concrete flaw that can be repaired.
❌His vulnerability for colds is high.
✅His vulnerability to colds is high.
💡The correct preposition is 'to,' not 'for,' when stating what someone or something is vulnerable to.