susceptible
- 01 C1 Advanced
adj.likely to be affected by a particular disease or medical condition.
adj.yielding readily to a pathogen or medical condition; lacking immunity or resistance.
Simple“Older people are often more susceptible to the flu during the winter months.”
In context“Patients with compromised immune systems remain highly susceptible to opportunistic infections that healthy individuals would easily repel.”
UsageUsually followed by the preposition 'to'.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.easily influenced or affected by emotions or other people's ideas.
adj.easily influenced by feelings, suggestions, or the persuasive efforts of others.
Simple“He was very susceptible to flattery and believed everything his boss told him.”
In context“The advertisement was specifically designed to target young consumers who are often more susceptible to social pressure and trend-driven marketing.”
UsageUsually followed by the preposition 'to'.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
adj.able to be treated, changed, or understood in a certain way.
adj.capable of undergoing a specific process or being interpreted in a particular manner.
Simple“The problem is susceptible to a simple solution if we look at the data.”
In context“The poet's later works are susceptible to various interpretations, depending on the reader's understanding of the historical context.”
UsageUsually followed by the preposition 'to'.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a person who is likely to catch a disease because they have no protection against it.
n.an individual within a population who lacks immunity to a specific infectious agent.
Simple“The goal of the vaccine is to protect the susceptibles in the community.”
In context“Epidemiologists track the ratio of susceptibles to immune individuals to predict how quickly a virus might spread through a city.”
Synonymsat risk personAntonyms
Usage particularly susceptible · susceptible to
“Likewise, water shortages and stress from high temperatures, salinity and hypoxia can make hosts more susceptible to infection.”
“While mange affects well-cared-for household pets at low rates, occurrence among unvaccinated shelter dogs and strays can top 26%, and dogs of all ages, breeds and sexes are susceptible.”
From Late Latin susceptibilis, from Latin susceptus, from suscipiō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.