HELPLESS Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

helpless

adjective

ˈhel-pləs

Definition of helpless

as in vulnerable

lacking protection from danger or resistance against attack after the storm we found a helpless baby bird that had fallen out of its nest

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in paralyzed

unable to act or achieve one's purpose we watched, feeling helpless, as the vase slipped from her hand and crashed to the floor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of helpless The leading interpretation is that Smilodon delivered a single precise bite to the throat or belly, severing something vital in a target that was already helpless. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Over the course of a 60-yard run, Maradona danced past opponents, escaped challenges and left English defenders helpless before beating the goalkeeper with a clinical finish. — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 17 June 2026 That film served as Carpenter’s follow-up to his breakthrough hit, Halloween, which didn’t invent the slasher film but did codify and popularize the horror subgenre in which seemingly deathless masked killers stalk helpless prey, often horny teens (though anyone will do in a pinch). — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 15 June 2026 Schjelderup’s return pass then found Rangers midfielder, Aasgaard, who provided a delicious drop of the shoulder that nearly sent Dayot Upamecano to a different zip code — before reversing his shot to the near post beyond a helpless, flat-footed Maignan. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for helpless

Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpless

Adjective

Key industries like agriculture, outdoor recreation, and the power grid are structurally vulnerable to water scarcity and extreme weather, exacerbated by climate change.

— Kelly Fleming, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
The gang members and associates allegedly focused on recruiting vulnerable minor girls and young women, many of whom came from broken homes or had fallen through the foster care system, Essayli said Wednesday.

— Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of vulnerable

Adjective

The waves will carry the paralyzed bodies to the shore, and even dead jellyfish have been known to sting.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 June 2026
The teen, who was crossing the street at the time, was run over twice by the truck, causing catastrophic injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down, local ABC affiliate WKBW reported.

— Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 28 June 2026

Definition of paralyzed

Adjective

However, people with weakened immune systems or certain underlying health conditions may be more susceptible to infection.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Cooking Oils Cooking oils high in unsaturated fats, such as olive, walnut, and flaxseed oils, are among the pantry items most susceptible to heat damage.

— Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 1 July 2026

Definition of susceptible

Adjective

Following a year of historically weak hiring in 2025, hiring rebounded this spring.

— Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 July 2026
In a weak free-agency class, centers Robert Williams III (Portland) and Mark Williams (Phoenix) are already off the market, each reportedly agreeing to return to their current teams.

— Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of weak

Adjective

Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh should highlight that market prices are a global endeavor, rendering the Fed largely powerless against what economists mistakenly call inflation.

— John Tamny, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
By noon Saturday, about 750,000 utility customers were powerless in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and New Jersey.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of powerless

Adjective

Her Volumnia bellows at her meek daughter-in-law, Virgilia (Justine Faith) as though reprimanding an incompetent private.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
One of the lasting side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and our catastrophically incompetent response to it is the decrease in trust in public health experts and their advice.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026