vulnerability
gb/vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti/ us/vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti/
B2
English
~ 6700
sebezhetőség, kiszolgáltatottság, érzelmi sebezhetőség, gyenge pont, sérülékenység, társadalmi sérülékenység, veszélyeztetettség, biztonsági sérülékenység, biztonsági rés
NOUN
B2
1
Usage pattern:
vulnerability to [something]
The attack highlighted the city's vulnerability to terrorism.
A támadás rávilágított a város terrorizmussal szembeni sebezhetőségére.
Sharing that story revealed her deep sense of vulnerability.
Az, hogy megosztotta ezt a történetet, megmutatta, milyen mélyen kiszolgáltatottnak érzi magát.
Years of illness increased his physical vulnerability.
The break‑in made them painfully aware of their vulnerability at home.
The report warns of our vulnerability to future crises.
Learner examples
The small child felt a strong sense of vulnerability in the dark.
A kisgyerek nagyon kiszolgáltatottnak érezte magát a sötétben.
After the accident, he understood his own vulnerability.
A baleset után ráébredt a saját sebezhetőségére.
Good locks can reduce your vulnerability to thieves.
Her kindness sometimes adds to her vulnerability.
He tried to hide his vulnerability behind a joke.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the noun "vulnerability" with the adjective "vulnerable". Use "vulnerability" after articles like "the" or "her" (e.g., "her vulnerability"), and "vulnerable" before nouns or after "be" (e.g., "she is vulnerable"). Another common mistake is saying "vulnerability against"; in this sense, English typically uses "vulnerability to" (e.g., "vulnerability to attack" or "vulnerability to harm").
Meaning
state of being easily harmed
Collocations
a sense of vulnerability
|feel a growing vulnerability
|recognize your vulnerability
|vulnerability to attack
|vulnerability to criticism
|expose someone's vulnerability
Synonyms
exposure (Focuses on being unprotected or uncovered rather than on the risk of hurt itself.)
|
fragility (Suggests being easily broken or hurt, often with a softer or more delicate tone.)
Antonyms
security (Emphasizes being protected from harm or danger, the opposite of being exposed to it.)
|
invulnerability (A more absolute idea of being impossible to harm or damage.)
Themes
emotions
|safety
|health
|daily life
Definition
The state of being in a position where you can be hurt, damaged, or attacked, especially in your body or feelings.
The state of being open to physical or emotional harm, damage, or attack.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to show vulnerability
Showing vulnerability in therapy helped him build trust.
Az, hogy a terápiában merte vállalni a sebezhetőségét, segített neki bizalmat kialakítani.
The leader's vulnerability made her team feel closer to her.
Az, hogy a vezető megmutatta a sebezhetőségét, közelebb hozta hozzá a csapatát.
He struggles with vulnerability and rarely talks about his fears.
The podcast explores how vulnerability can strengthen relationships.
In that speech, his vulnerability was more powerful than any prepared line.
Learner examples
She showed vulnerability when she talked about her past.
Sebezhetőnek mutatkozott, amikor a múltjáról beszélt.
Vulnerability can help people feel close to each other.
A sebezhetőség segíthet abban, hogy az emberek közelebb kerüljenek egymáshoz.
He thinks vulnerability is a sign of strength, not weakness.
The coach's vulnerability made the players respect him more.
In the group, they talked about the value of vulnerability.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this meaning is always negative. In modern English, especially in psychology and relationship contexts, "vulnerability" is often described as something positive or brave. Also, avoid saying "do vulnerability"; use verbs like "show", "allow", "embrace", or "share" with this sense (e.g., "She shows vulnerability" not "She does vulnerability").
Meaning
willingness to show weakness
Collocations
show vulnerability
|embrace vulnerability
|emotional vulnerability
|the power of vulnerability
|vulnerability in relationships
|a moment of vulnerability
Synonyms
openness (Stresses being honest and clear, not always including the idea of weakness or risk.)
|
exposure (Emphasizes letting others see personal, private sides of yourself.)
Antonyms
emotional guardedness (Describes a protective refusal to share true feelings or weaknesses.)
|
defensiveness (Highlights a tense, protective reaction instead of open sharing.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|psychology
Definition
The choice to be open and honest about your real feelings and weaknesses with other people.
A willingness to let others see your true feelings, fears, or weaknesses, often seen as a sign of emotional courage or authenticity.
NOUN
B2
FORMAL
3
gyenge pont
B1
Usage pattern:
a vulnerability in [a system/plan]
The audit revealed major vulnerabilities in the company's internal controls.
Az audit súlyos gyenge pontokat tárt fel a vállalat belső ellenőrzési rendszerében.
Engineers are working to reduce structural vulnerabilities in the bridge design.
A mérnökök azon dolgoznak, hogy kevesebb szerkezeti gyenge pont maradjon a híd tervében.
Her report outlined key vulnerabilities in the supply chain.
Competitors quickly exploited the firm's vulnerability in customer service.
We need to understand our vulnerabilities before investing in new security measures.
Learner examples
The test showed a big vulnerability in the plan.
A teszt kimutatott egy nagy gyenge pontot a tervben.
They fixed a serious vulnerability in the system.
Kijavítottak egy súlyos sérülékenységet a rendszerben.
Managers must know the vulnerabilities of their company.
Hackers found a vulnerability in the network.
We looked for vulnerabilities before we launched the product.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "weakness of the system" when a more natural phrase is "vulnerability in the system" for risks that can be exploited. Also, "vulnerability" here is almost always countable ("a vulnerability", "two vulnerabilities") when you talk about separate weak points.
Meaning
weakness in a system or plan
Collocations
identify vulnerabilities
|a serious vulnerability
|vulnerabilities in the system
|structural vulnerabilities
|address key vulnerabilities
|exploit a vulnerability
Synonyms
weakness (Very general term; does not always imply risk of attack or failure.)
|
flaw (Stresses a defect or mistake, often smaller or more specific.)
Antonyms
strength (A strong point or advantage rather than a weak point.)
|
resilience (The ability of a system to resist or recover from problems, the opposite of having exploitable weak points.)
Themes
business
|technology
|safety
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A weak point in a plan, system, or structure that can cause problems if someone or something uses it.
A weakness or flaw in a system, process, or structure that makes it easier for it to be damaged, attacked, or to fail.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
vulnerability of [group/place] to [threat]
The report examines the vulnerability of coastal cities to rising seas.
A jelentés a part menti városok emelkedő tengerszinttel szembeni sérülékenységét vizsgálja.
Poverty increases vulnerability to health crises.
A szegénység növeli az egészségügyi válságokkal szembeni sérülékenységet.
Climate scientists map regions of high vulnerability to drought.
The pandemic exposed the vulnerability of informal workers.
Improved infrastructure can reduce a community's vulnerability to floods.
Learner examples
Rising sea levels increase the vulnerability of island nations.
Az emelkedő tengerszint növeli a szigetországok sérülékenységét.
Old people may have higher vulnerability to heat waves.
Az idősek sérülékenyebbek lehetnek a hőhullámokkal szemben.
The study looks at the vulnerability of poor families to job loss.
Good planning can lower a city's vulnerability to storms.
They measured the village's vulnerability to future droughts.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes repeat the word "risk" unnecessarily, saying "vulnerability risk to". In this sense, "vulnerability" already includes the idea of risk, so say "vulnerability to climate change" or "climate change risk", not both together.
Meaning
susceptibility of groups or places
Collocations
social vulnerability
|vulnerability to climate change
|vulnerability of low-income communities
|economic vulnerability
|assess community vulnerability
|reduce vulnerability to disasters
Synonyms
susceptibility (Focuses on being likely to be affected, often used in scientific or formal contexts.)
|
exposure (Highlights being in a position where harm from a large-scale threat can reach you.)
Antonyms
resilience (The ability of a community or system to resist and recover from shocks, opposite of high vulnerability.)
|
stability (Describes a steady situation with low risk of serious harm or change.)
Themes
environment
|society
|economics
|health
|nature
|business
Definition
How likely a group of people or an area is to be hurt by big problems like disasters, climate change, or economic crisis.
The degree to which people, communities, or places are likely to suffer harm from disasters, economic changes, climate change, or other large-scale threats.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
5
Usage pattern:
a vulnerability in [software/system]
Researchers disclosed a critical vulnerability in the operating system.
A kutatók egy kritikus biztonsági sérülékenységet hoztak nyilvánosságra az operációs rendszerben.
The company released an update to patch the security vulnerability.
A vállalat frissítést adott ki a biztonsági sérülékenység javítására.
A zero-day vulnerability left millions of devices open to attack.
Regular scans help identify vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them.
The breach was traced back to an unpatched vulnerability in a web server.
Learner examples
They found a new security vulnerability in the app.
Új biztonsági rést találtak az alkalmazásban.
You should update your phone to fix this vulnerability.
Frissítsd a telefonodat, hogy befoltozd ezt a biztonsági rést.
The hacker used a vulnerability in the website.
The team is testing the system for vulnerabilities.
A zero-day vulnerability is very dangerous.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "virus" when they mean "vulnerability". A virus is a type of malicious software; a vulnerability is the weakness that lets such software or attackers in. Also, in this technical sense, "vulnerability" is usually countable ("a vulnerability", "several vulnerabilities").
Meaning
security flaw in computing systems
Collocations
security vulnerability
|critical vulnerability
|patch a vulnerability
|zero-day vulnerability
|discover a vulnerability
|vulnerability scan
Synonyms
security flaw (Less technical phrase emphasizing a mistake that affects security.)
|
exploit (In security, refers to the specific code or method that uses a vulnerability, not the weakness itself.)
Antonyms
security patch (Not a direct conceptual opposite, but the standard fix used to remove a vulnerability.)
|
hardened system (Describes a system that has been strengthened to remove or reduce vulnerabilities.)
Themes
technology
|security
Definition
A mistake or weak point in a computer system that hackers can use to get in or cause damage.
A flaw or weakness in computer software, hardware, or a network that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access, disrupt operations, or cause other security breaches.
Grammar
Dictionary form
vulnerability
IPA
GB/vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti/
US/vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti/
Syllables & stress
vul - ner - ab - il - ity (5 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (ab)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: vulnerability
- Plural: vulnerabilities, vulnerability
Word family
Forms
vulnerabilities
noun
Core family
vulnerable
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
invulnerable
adjective
invulnerability
noun
Advanced or less common
vulnerably
adverb
Expressions
a sense of vulnerability
1/ə sˈɛns əv vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
feeling at risk of harm
A feeling that you are not safe and could be hurt or attacked.
Examples
- The burglary left them with a lasting sense of vulnerability.
- Traveling alone at night gave her a sense of vulnerability.
- The crisis created a new sense of vulnerability in the country.
emotional vulnerability
1/ɪmˈoʊʃənəl vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
being easily hurt emotionally
A state where someone's feelings are easily hurt or strongly affected by what happens.
Examples
- Therapy helped her understand her emotional vulnerability.
- He hides his emotional vulnerability behind jokes.
- The film shows the emotional vulnerability of teenagers.
security vulnerability
1/sɪkjˈʊɹɪti vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
technical
weakness in a security system
A weak point in a computer or other security system that can let attackers in.
Examples
- The update fixes a serious security vulnerability.
- Hackers exploited a security vulnerability in the router.
- Regular testing can help you find security vulnerabilities early.
show vulnerability
1/ʃˈoʊ vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
let others see your weakness
To act in a way that lets other people see your real fears, worries, or weak points.
Examples
- Good leaders are not afraid to show vulnerability.
- He finally showed vulnerability and talked about his anxiety.
- The interview made her feel safe enough to show vulnerability.
vulnerability assessment
1/vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti əsˈɛsmənt/
fixed phrase
technical
systematic check for weaknesses
A careful test or study that looks for weak points in a system, building, or organization.
Examples
- The IT team conducts an annual vulnerability assessment.
- A vulnerability assessment revealed gaps in our security controls.
- They ordered a full vulnerability assessment after the incident.
vulnerability to attack
1/vˌʌlnɚəbˈɪlɪti tə ətˈæk/
fixed phrase
risk of being attacked successfully
How easy it is for someone or something to be attacked and harmed.
Examples
- The base's vulnerability to attack has decreased after new defenses were added.
- Poor lighting increased the neighborhood's vulnerability to attack.
- They reviewed the building's vulnerability to attack before the event.