vulnerable
/ˈvʌlnərəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvʌlnərəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvəl-n(ə-)rə-bəl ˈvəl-nər-bəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈvʌl.nər.ə.bəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvʌl.nɚ.ə.bəl/ (ame, ipa)
vulnerable — adjective
- vulnerablepositive
- more vulnerablecomparative
- most vulnerablesuperlative
1. describes a person, group, or thing that is not well protected against physical
describes a person, group, or thing that is not well protected against physical injury, emotional pain, criticism, or attack.
After losing her job, Lakshmi felt financially vulnerable and worried about paying rent.
adverb + vulnerable: financially / emotionally / physically
The old castle walls were vulnerable to attack from the south where the forest grew close by.
pattern: vulnerable to + noun (attack / criticism / disease)
Teenagers can feel emotionally vulnerable when their friends leave them out of group plans.
Without a helmet, Hannah knew her head was vulnerable to serious injury on a long bike ride.
Small coastal towns are especially vulnerable when a powerful storm hits the region without warning.
- exposed
focuses on being physically unprotected against something harmful; more concrete than vulnerable
- susceptible
emphasises the tendency to be affected, especially by illness or influence; slightly more formal
- defenceless
highlights the inability to fight back; stronger emotional tone
- helpless
implies a complete lack of ability to protect oneself; more extreme in meaning
文法句型
be vulnerable + to + noun phrase
vulnerable + noun
feel vulnerable
用法筆記
Frequently used with the preposition 'to' to specify what causes the risk. The subject can be a person, an organisation, a physical object, or even a system. Also common in the pattern 'feel + vulnerable' to describe an emotional state.
常見錯誤
vulnerable — noun
1. people in society who lack protection against harm, mistreatment, or poverty and
people in society who lack protection against harm, mistreatment, or poverty and therefore suffer more easily than others.
Local charities provide free meals and warm blankets for the vulnerable during winter.
help / care for + the vulnerable
Government policies should protect the vulnerable from unfair treatment in the housing market.
protect the vulnerable from + noun
Ingrid volunteered at a shelter that offered job training to the vulnerable in her city.
The new law was designed to offer better housing support for the vulnerable in every community.
- the disadvantaged
focuses on lack of financial or social resources; a common institutional term
- the needy
emphasises material poverty; slightly narrower
- the defenceless
highlights physical or social powerlessness; stronger emotional tone
- the privileged
refers to people with social or financial advantages; formal opposite
文法句型
the vulnerable + verb
protect / support / help + the vulnerable
用法筆記
Always used with 'the' as a plural noun referring to a group of people, not an individual. Unlike the adjective form, you cannot say 'a vulnerable' to refer to one person. Use 'a vulnerable person' for the singular.
常見錯誤
2. people whose existing health conditions make them more likely to become seriousl
people whose existing health conditions make them more likely to become seriously ill or die from a disease.
The flu vaccine was offered first to the vulnerable, including elderly patients and pregnant women.
vaccinate / protect / treat + the vulnerable (medical context)
Hospitals made special arrangements for the vulnerable during the outbreak of the new virus.
Health workers visited the vulnerable at home to check for early signs of the lung infection.
Scientists developed a new vaccine formula to protect the vulnerable from seasonal flu strains.
- high-risk patients
clinical term used by medical professionals; more formal
- the immunocompromised
narrower — refers specifically to people with weak immune systems
- at-risk populations
public health term covering groups more likely to get sick
- the healthy
people without existing health conditions that raise disease risk
- the immune
people with natural or vaccine-induced protection against disease
文法句型
the vulnerable + verb
protect / vaccinate / reach + the vulnerable
用法筆記
Primarily used in health and medical contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense specifically relates to disease risk rather than general social or economic disadvantage. Often found in public health announcements and news reports about disease outbreaks.