vulnerable, incoherent, myopic, pervasive, pugnacious: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from TOEFL Vocabulary set 101. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. vulnerable · adjective/ˈvʌlnərəbəl/

   capable of being physically or emotionally hurt or attacked

   After the storm, the coastal towns were left vulnerable to further flooding due to the damage caused to their defenses.

   Synonyms: exposed, sensitive, unprotected

   Origin: from the Latin 'vulnerabilis', meaning 'wounding', from 'vulnus' meaning 'wound'

2. incoherent · adjective/ˌɪn.koʊˈhɪr.ənt/

   lacking clarity or organization in speech or thought

   His incoherent ramblings made it difficult to understand his point during the meeting.

   Synonyms: unintelligible, confused, disconnected

   Origin: from Latin 'incohaerens', meaning 'not sticking together'

3. myopic · adjective/maɪˈɑː.pɪk/

   lacking foresight or intellectual insight

   The company's myopic view of the market trends led to significant losses in the following quarters.

   Synonyms: short-sighted, narrow-minded, unimaginative

   Origin: from the Greek 'muo' meaning 'to close' or 'to shut', referring to the inability to see distant things clearly.

4. pervasive · adjective/pərˈveɪ.sɪv/

   spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people

   The pervasive influence of social media can be seen in the way people communicate today.

   Synonyms: widespread, prevalent, ubiquitous

   Origin: from Latin 'pervasus', the past participle of 'pervadere', meaning 'to spread through'.

5. pugnacious · adjective/pʌɡˈneɪ.ʃəs/

   having a combative nature or an eagerness to fight

   Despite her small stature, she had a pugnacious spirit that often landed her in heated debates with her classmates.

   Synonyms: combative, aggressive, belligerent

   Origin: from Latin 'pugnax', meaning 'inclined to fight', from 'pugnare', meaning 'to fight'