helpless

1 of 2

adjective

help·less ˈhel-pləs

Southern often ˈhep-ləs

also ˈheəp-

Synonyms of helpless

: lacking protection or support : defenseless

… as helpless as a flock of shepherdless sheep …—W. H. Mallock

: marked by an inability to act or react

The crowd looked on in helpless horror …—Current Biography

: not able to be controlled or restrained

helpless laughter

helplessly adverb

helplessness noun

helplessness

2 of 2

noun

help·less·ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being helpless

Synonyms of helpless

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of helpless in a Sentence

Adjective The civilians were helpless against their attackers. Firefighters were helpless against the blaze. I feel helpless. Isn't there anything I can do? The crowd was helpless with laughter. He was helpless with rage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Adjective

But when his son Naseer was born in May 2025, Ajas Ahmed had never felt so helpless. — Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 21 June 2026 Pele controls the ball in the penalty area with his thigh, flips it over the head of the defender and smashes it past a helpless Kalle Svensson. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 Arturo has grown used to driving by traffic stops, then circling back to move his friends’ and neighbors’ abandoned cars to their helpless families left behind. — Karen Valby, Vanity Fair, 16 June 2026 Model and socialite Bella Hadid worried fans with a message saying Lyme disease has rendered her all but helpless. — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for helpless

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see help entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of helpless was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

helping verb

helpless

helplessly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helpless. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

helpless

adjective

help·less ˈhel-pləs

: being without defense

: powerless

helplessly adverb

helplessness noun

helpless

adjective

noun

Synonyms of helpless

Examples of helpless in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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