as in vulnerable
lacking protection from danger or resistance against attack
the cowardly soldiers fled, leaving the palace undefended
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Recent Examples of undefended
Trouba opened the scoring in the first period with an undefended slap shot after an egregious Blackhawks turnover.
—
CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
Mark Collins, who was born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada, said Canadians have long treasured their friendship with the United States and the fact that the US-Canada border is the longest undefended border on the planet.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
Even with changes that came after the 2001 terrorist attacks, Abdool, noting the reputation of the longest undefended border in the world, said the experience of traveling back and forth between the United States and Canada wasn’t like crossing other international borders.
—Eric D. Lawrence, Freep.com, 16 May 2025
Well, turns out that Dragonstone is pretty undefended now, too.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for undefended
CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025
Mark Collins, who was born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada, said Canadians have long treasured their friendship with the United States and the fact that the US-Canada border is the longest undefended border on the planet.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
Even with changes that came after the 2001 terrorist attacks, Abdool, noting the reputation of the longest undefended border in the world, said the experience of traveling back and forth between the United States and Canada wasn’t like crossing other international borders.
—Eric D. Lawrence, Freep.com, 16 May 2025
Well, turns out that Dragonstone is pretty undefended now, too.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for undefended
Recent Examples of Synonyms for undefended
Adjective
-
Guthrie was already physically vulnerable.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The expedition collected an unprecedented number of chemical, physical and biological samples that will help scientists understand ecosystem connections, biodiversity patterns and how vulnerable these deep-sea environments may be.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Both Tony and Dick are helpless children of the American Dream — one borne of the system, the other the boss’s literal son, each at the mercy of forces far greater than himself.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
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Footage then showed McCray carrying her, helpless and disoriented, to a laundry room on Connecticut Street.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Teens are more prone to act on emotion, more susceptible to peer pressure and often less able to consider long-term consequences.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
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Certain medical conditions and factors like age can also make people more susceptible to the cold.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Its reliance on Western hardware has left Ukrainians unprotected.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
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According to the San Diego Bird Alliance, the western snowy plover lays its eggs in loose sand with little cover along the Pacific coastline, leaving its nest largely unprotected from high tides and weather.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Undefended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/undefended. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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