What does "vulnerability" mean?

1. (emotional or physical weakness) the state of being easily hurt or not protected, especially when you show your feelings. 2. (a security flaw) a weakness in a computer system or a building that allows an attacker to get inside.

How do you use "vulnerability"?

Often used with the preposition 'in' or 'to'.

vulnerability

US //ˌvəɫnɝəˈbɪɫɪti// UK //vˌʌlnəɹəbˈɪlɪti// vul·ner·a·bil·i·ty

1 emotional or physical weakness (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

the state of being easily hurt or not protected, especially when you show your feelings.

the state of being susceptible to physical or emotional injury; often used in psychology to describe openness to others.

Example

Showing your vulnerability to a friend can actually make your relationship stronger.

Example

The therapist argued that acknowledging one's vulnerability is a prerequisite for developing genuine emotional resilience in high-stress environments.
- resilience
- strength
- invulnerability
2 a security flaw (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Computing

a weakness in a computer system or a building that allows an attacker to get inside.

a specific weakness in a system's security or physical defences that can be exploited by a threat actor.

Example

The company released a software update to fix a major vulnerability in their app.

Example

Cybersecurity experts identified a critical vulnerability in the server's encryption protocol that could have exposed sensitive user data to unauthorised access.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'in' or 'to'.
- security
- safeguard

Origin

From vulnerable + -ity.