1
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
2
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of helpless
The series also starred Portia de Rossi as the family's layabout daughter, Lindsay; David Cross as her aspiring actor husband, Tobias; Alia Shawkat as their teen daughter, Maeby; Jessica Walter as the family's elitist matriarch, Lucille; and Tony Hale as the dynasty's helpless youngest son, Buster.
—
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Sep. 2025
With its single Xenomorph antagonist, its cramped environment, and its fairly helpless cast of characters, a video-game adaptation sounds like an exercise in pure dourness.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Without such equipment an army is helpless, no matter how brave, well-trained, and numerous its soldiers may be.
—John Fischer, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The wave of conflicting and often inaccurate or incomplete information leaves consumers, particularly those already experiencing financial hardship, feeling overwhelmed, confused, frustrated and helpless.
—Sandy Anderson, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Sep. 2025
With its single Xenomorph antagonist, its cramped environment, and its fairly helpless cast of characters, a video-game adaptation sounds like an exercise in pure dourness.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Without such equipment an army is helpless, no matter how brave, well-trained, and numerous its soldiers may be.
—John Fischer, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The wave of conflicting and often inaccurate or incomplete information leaves consumers, particularly those already experiencing financial hardship, feeling overwhelmed, confused, frustrated and helpless.
—Sandy Anderson, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpless
Adjective
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Political parties, media brands, and government agencies turn out to be just a collection of individuals vulnerable to pressure and attack.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
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The very young are particularly vulnerable to the potential harmful effects from lead exposure because of their smaller body sizes and rapid metabolism and growth.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In August, Elon Musk’s Neuralink expanded to the UK with a clinical study testing its brain chip to help paralyzed patients control devices through thought.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
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Reeve was thrown from his horse and landed on his head, resulting in a severe spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down.—
Maddie Garfinkle,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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These missions are susceptible to cuts when politicians look to reduce spending.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
15 Oct. 2025
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Dogs with thick, double-layered coats tend to be more resistant to cold, while dogs with thin coats are more susceptible to cold, according to PetMD.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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What has changed is that higher ed itself is arguably weaker than ever.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
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In fact, weather models vary widely on how strong Lorenzo could get in the coming days, ranging from a weak tropical storm to a Category 2 hurricane, the hurricane center said.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Kim sisters have taken over the Flynns’ company, ENCOM, while bratty upstart Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters) runs Dillinger Systems under the watchful, but ultimately powerless, eye of his mother (Gillian Anderson).—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
11 Oct. 2025
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Unfortunately for de Moura, Lemigova had already told not just her wife, but their daughters about all of the above, rendering her attempt at shaming her with that information totally powerless.—
James Factora,
Them.,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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All of the charges were ultimately discharged after she was found incompetent for court proceedings by a doctor.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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Look only to the Bengals, Panthers, Browns and Jets, Sunday’s opponent, for examples of what can go wrong with owners with short pockets, short tempers and/or outsized influence from the unqualified and incompetent.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpless. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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