UNPROTECTED Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

unprotected

adjective

ˌən-prə-ˈtek-təd

Definition of unprotected

as in vulnerable

lacking protection from danger or resistance against attack the home team scored when the visitors' goalie momentarily left the goal unprotected

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unprotected Busch says that the school's current response to the abuse is insufficient for the victims who were left unprotected. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026 And the unprotected are more often poor and majority-minority communities. — Michael Phillis, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 The installations at the 500 delis were completed in April, but the city has not committed any additional funds towards equipping the thousands of bodegas that remain unprotected, Mateo said. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 Much of the state's rural groundwater in particular is unprotected, and Kuzdas said researchers at Arizona State University have found that the Colorado River Basin has depleted enough groundwater over 20 years to fill Lake Mead. — Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unprotected

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unprotected

Adjective

The song is written as a conversation with that mythic other woman, who Parton confronts here in a way that manages to come across as both extremely vulnerable and drawing on a huge reserve of strength.

— Ed Masley, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
For someone vulnerable to an eating disorder, [pressure] from social media, celebrity images, or the growing visibility of GLP-1 medications can reinforce restriction and the belief that their body is somehow not small enough.

— Marti Noxon, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of vulnerable

Adjective

Their protection schemes might expect edge rushers, but both Van Ginkel and Turner could drift backward, making the interior more susceptible.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Therapists, being human, are susceptible to biases and errors during demanding sessions, which can occur before, during, or after client interactions.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of susceptible

Adjective

Muslims who are peace-loving and helpless also need a hand up.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Yes, there were moments of humor, such as getting magic potions around the campfire at the end of each stage by whacking helpless little elves, but most of it was played straight, to great effect.

— Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of helpless

Browse Nearby Words

unprosperous

unprotected

unprovable

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“Unprotected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unprotected. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of unprotected

adjective

Example Sentences

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