utsatt

Utsatt is an adjective in Swedish meaning exposed, subjected to something, or vulnerable. It is used for people, groups, or situations that face risk, danger, pressure, or negative influence. Common collocations include utsatt för fara or utsatt för risk, as well as utsatt för diskriminering. It can also describe a condition or status that makes someone more susceptible to harm or unwanted influence.

In grammar, utsatt can be used predicatively or attributively. For example, den är utsatt means it is exposed, while en utsatt person describes a vulnerable person. The related noun utsatthet denotes exposure or vulnerability. The verb utsätta means to expose or to subject someone or something to something, with the fixed construction utsätta någon för followed by the risk or harm (for example, utsätta någon för hot). The passive form utsätts is used to indicate that exposure or subjection has occurred in the past or ongoing in a given context.

Etymology: utsatt derives from the verb utsätta, formed with the prefix ut- meaning outward or external, combined with sätta (to set or put). The sense evolves from putting someone outside or into a situation where they are exposed to a risk or influence.

Usage and contexts: utsatt is common in social, political, and legal discourse, describing individuals or groups at risk of harm, discrimination, or exclusion. It is also widely used in occupational safety, public health, and human rights discussions to characterize vulnerability and the need for protective measures.