cannot be helped

phrase

: to be unavoidable
It's too bad that we have to leave, but it can't be helped.

Examples of cannot be helped in a Sentence

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.
These are folks who cannot be helped by cycling through our emergency rooms. Gary Warth, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 May 2022

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cannot be helped.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cannot%20be%20helped. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster