defenseless

adjective

Definition of defenselessnext
as in vulnerable
lacking protection from danger or resistance against attack the lack of warm clothing left the hikers defenseless against the unexpected cold snap

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenseless
  1. vulnerable
  2. helpless
  3. susceptible
  4. unprotected
Adjective
  • The older trees themselves, more exposed in the landscape, could be more vulnerable to windstorms.
    April Ehrlich, ProPublica, 12 Nov. 2024
  • Beijing, on the other hand, remains reliant on Taiwanese technology products for its manufacturing industry, meaning that China is now arguably more vulnerable to a disruption in cross-strait trade than Taiwan.
    David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
Definition of vulnerable
Adjective
  • While Chris Smith lay helpless, authorities say Tarr was plotting to silence him forever.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024
  • This creates a helpless but highly effective kind of suspense, as Iris must rely on her tormentor to mess up, at least until her limbs start to respond again.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
Definition of helpless
Adjective
  • Notably, losing an hour of daylight can take a toll on people who are susceptible to seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that peaks during the darker winter months.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Camellias are also susceptible to a number of diseases, the most serious of which are flower blight, root rot, and camellia dieback and canker.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
Definition of susceptible
Adjective
  • Players with player or team options in their contracts were fair game to be left unprotected, too.
    Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024
  • The new advice is to test anyone with a significant bird flu exposure, such as an unprotected worker who’s been splashed in the face with raw milk on a dairy farm with known H5N1 infections in the herds.
    Erika Edwards, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Definition of unprotected
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Thesaurus Entries Near defenseless

defense

defenseless

defenselessness

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Defenseless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defenseless. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on defenseless

Nglish: Translation of defenseless for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of defenseless for Arabic Speakers

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