VULNERABILITY Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

vulnerability

noun

Definition of vulnerability

as in susceptibility

the quality or state of having little resistance to some outside agent vulnerability to infection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in exposure

the state of being left without shelter or protection against something harmful the vulnerability of the car to vandalism when it's parked on the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of vulnerability The charges come with additional special allegations, around the victim’s vulnerability and that Tapia abused a trustworthy position. — Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 The Dodgers’ bullpen and vaunted starters also showed vulnerabilities throughout the summer. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026 Technological dominance has been tilting toward Moscow of late, exposing Ukraine’s vulnerability to Russia’s relentlessly modernizing war machine. — Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026 The axis countries may moderate their anti-American rhetoric when doing so is tactically useful, but their motivation to reduce their vulnerability to American power remains. — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026 Rather than relying solely on conventional T cells, future treatments may be able to exploit gamma delta T cells to expose a vulnerability in a cancer that has proved exceptionally difficult to treat. — New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026 Authorities in both countries were investigating the cyber incidents, which exposed vulnerabilities in some older refrigeration management systems and in the countries' highly efficient food supply chains. — John Leicester, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 The research doesn’t describe the vulnerabilities exploited in the zero-click attacks or the final malware that was installed in them. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 15 Oct. 2026 But the broader takeaway here is that the inherent volatility of oil and gas prices is a persistent vulnerability in the US economy that can only be solved by limiting exposure to these energy sources. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vulnerability

Noun

Studies of these families have helped identify potential susceptibility genes for lung cancer and environmental risk factors.

— Estelamari Rodriguez, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, those with the highest genetic susceptibility to ADHD were found to have a 35% greater risk of dementia than those with the lowest susceptibility.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of susceptibility

Noun

As financial markets have become more accessible, consumers have begun trading sophisticated financial instruments, purchasing fractional shares and gaining exposure to alternative assets in minutes.

— Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
This is the experience of some students in the state and it is being further complicated by the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, rising college costs and limited exposure to jobs before graduation.

— P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of exposure

Noun

Every monster has unique strengths and weaknesses, and each demands a different response.

— Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
As rules and institutions constrain less and brute power matters more, countries will seek partners to help them blunt sanctions, access critical technologies, compensate for military weaknesses, expand their room for maneuver, and resist isolation.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakness

Noun

The researchers conducted the tests from September 8 to 11, using different sensor configurations to assess the system’s sensitivity.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Howard called additionally for a public apology from UMD's tennis club, sensitivity training for players and a donation of tournament funds to a local museum focused on African American history.

— Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of sensitivity

Browse Nearby Words

vulgarly

vulnerability

vulnerable

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“Vulnerability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vulnerability. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of vulnerability

noun

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