Cool MateHe's invulnerable vs Immune
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
He's invulnerable
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Immune
Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective
Most common: Immune
| He's invulnerable | Immune | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɪnˈvʌlnərəbl//🇺🇸 //ɪnˈvʌlnərəbəl// | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪˈmjuːn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪˈmjuːn/"]/ |
| Meaning | He cannot be harmed or hurt. | Not affected by something bad, like a disease. |
| Example | In his armor, he's invulnerable to enemy attacks. | Adults are often immune to German measles. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | invulnerable to harm, invulnerable nature, make someone invulnerable | be, seem, become, completely, totally, to, appear, be, prove, completely, entirely, totally, from, to, appear, be, prove, completely, entirely, totally, from, to |
| Antonyms | - | susceptible, vulnerable |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'invincible' - 'invulnerable' means immune to harm, not unbeatable., Used in contexts where vulnerability is clear, like emotional situations. | Confused with 'emune' which doesn't exist., Using 'immunity' incorrectly as an adjective instead of 'immune'., Mispronouncing as 'im-youne' instead of 'im-mune'. |
| Usage notes | Used to describe someone who appears to be immune to harm. Not suitable for situations involving real vulnerability. | Often used in medical or health contexts. Appropriate when discussing health, immunity, or resistance to diseases. Avoid using in casual conversations where specific disease context is not relevant. |
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Frequently asked questions: He's invulnerable vs Immune
What's the difference between He's invulnerable and Immune?
He's invulnerable: He cannot be harmed or hurt. Immune: Not affected by something bad, like a disease.
Which is more common: He's invulnerable and Immune?
Immune is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
He's invulnerable: In his armor, he's invulnerable to enemy attacks. Immune: Adults are often immune to German measles.
Can I use He's invulnerable and Immune interchangeably?
Not always. He's invulnerable and Immune are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.