English Reference
Noun

susceptibility

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US /səˌsɛptəˈbɪɫəti/ UK /səsˌɛptɪbˈɪlɪti/ sus·cep·ti·bil·i·ty UK spelling susceptibilities Biology Medicine Physics

n.the state of being easily affected, influenced, or harmed by something. If you have a high susceptibility to a cold, you catch it very easily.

n.the state or fact of being likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing. Often describes a lack of resistance to a disease or a tendency to be emotionally affected by external factors.


SIMPLE

Her susceptibility to allergies makes spring a difficult season.

CONTEXTUAL

The doctor discussed the patient's genetic susceptibility to heart disease during the annual check-up.

COMPLEX

Researchers are investigating whether certain environmental pollutants increase the susceptibility of local wildlife to viral infections that were previously considered minor threats.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general state of being vulnerable; countable when referring to specific types of vulnerabilities. Often followed by the preposition 'to'.

Even so, these genetic differences appear to establish a distinct biological starting point that could affect a person's susceptibility to disease.

ScienceDaily· 20 Aug 2026

Besides the risks of monopoly, impediments to open science and susceptibility to manipulation, the researchers caution that this trend could critically undermine the overall reproducibility of science.

Phys.org· 15 Aug 2026

From susceptible + -ity.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated