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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defenseless
Adjective
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These offenders swarm these vulnerable victims, usually Asian, older females.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
4 July 2025 -
Along the way, Manuel opened a small nonprofit to supply basic needs for Native foster kids that grew into a statewide cultural support service for the most vulnerable youth.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Her precocity gives the novel its wit, but Shteyngart is also alert to the fact that a child, however bright, is fundamentally helpless. Not to mention desperate for her parents’ affection, which is in short supply for Vera.—
Mark Athitakis,
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2025
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Evans stood next to a small boat, clad in waders and helpless to stop the rising waters.—
Keisha Rowe,
The Courier-Journal,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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This results in long, deep wounds in the surrounding flesh that are also susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, causing severe pain, and potentially death if left untreated.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
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Being able to track this is super helpful because male cats are more susceptible to UTIs, which can be potentially life-threatening.—
Molly Higgins,
Wired News,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Defenseless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defenseless. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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