unprotected
adjective
un·pro·tect·ed
ˌən-prə-ˈtek-təd 
1
: lacking protection or defense
unprotected troops
skin unprotected from the sun's rays
2
: performed without the use of birth control to prevent pregnancy
also
: performed without the use of a condom to prevent spread of sexually transmitted disease
unprotected sex
Examples of unprotected in a Sentence
They're planning to build roads over thousands of acres of unprotected land.
If your computer is unprotected, you're likely to get a virus.
Recent Examples on the Web
Atlanta’s other significant players are in their early to mid-20s, and the team is sitting on a golden first-round pick in 2026 (the better of New Orleans’ or Milwaukee’s, unprotected).
—
John Hollinger, New York Times, 7 July 2025
Nadkarni: The Denver Nuggets trading Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson was something of a triple whammy.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 3 July 2025
Waters were rising in parts of southwest Jefferson County, like Lake Dreamland, in addition to parts of upper River Road and other low-lying, unprotected areas.
—Connor Giffin, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
No, fireworks are not always safe for children and adults with unprotected ears.
—Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unprotected
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.
John Hollinger, New York Times, 7 July 2025
Nadkarni: The Denver Nuggets trading Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson was something of a triple whammy.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 3 July 2025
Waters were rising in parts of southwest Jefferson County, like Lake Dreamland, in addition to parts of upper River Road and other low-lying, unprotected areas.
—Connor Giffin, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
No, fireworks are not always safe for children and adults with unprotected ears.
—Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for unprotected
Cite this Entry
“Unprotected.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprotected. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unprotected
adjective
un·pro·tect·ed
ˌən-prə-ˈtek-təd
1
: lacking protection or defense
unprotected troops
skin unprotected from the sun's rays
2
: performed without the use of birth control to prevent pregnancy
also
: performed without the use of a condom to prevent the spread of a sexually transmitted disease
unprotected sex
Medical Definition
unprotected
adjective
un·pro·tect·ed
-prə-ˈtek-təd
: not protected
especially
: performed without measures to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease
unprotected sexual intercourse
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share