helpline
noun
help·line
ˈhelp-ˌlīn 
Southern often ˈhep-,
also ˈheəp-
variants
or less commonly help line
plural helplines also help lines
: a phone service providing help or assistance: such as
a
: a telephone service that is usually available to the public and that provides advice, support, resources, etc. for some specific purpose (such as crisis intervention)
a free/confidential/24-hour helpline
He's also a peer support specialist for DeQH, a helpline for South Asian LGBTQ people.—
Rose Brennan
Rose BrennanCalls to state addiction help lines have risen, as have alcohol use, drug overdoses and relapse rates, experts have said.—Steve Janoski
Steve Janoski… helpline volunteers offer support and basic information, locate treatment options in your area, and can help you find answers to any questions you may have.—Radhika Menon
Radhika Menon
b
: a customer service line to provide support (such as technical support) for a product, service, etc.
Before making your purchase, phone the software vendor's customer helpline to make sure customer representatives are knowledgeable.—Eric Berg
Eric BergA user's guide, software documentation, and telephone helpline are included.—Carol Tenopir
Carol TenopirAll week, Mata and other staffers have spent hours calling help lines set up by drug plan providers, only to get constant busy signals.—Nicole Foy
Nicole FoyExamples of helpline in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Like 911 for emergencies, 211 is a national three-digit dialing code, launched in 2000, that connects callers to information specialists at the nearest local 211 helpline.
—Matthew W. Kreuter, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
With food banks strained and federal support uncertain, community fridges, mutual aid networks, and independent helplines like Lemontree are becoming lifelines for families navigating the crisis.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Miami’s 211 helpline for people in crisis has been receiving an influx of calls from people who are food insecure, according to Jewish Community Services of South Florida, the organization that operates the free helpline.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
Living Beyond Breast Cancer provides support groups for patients, as well as fundraising events and a helpline.
—Korin Miller, Flow Space, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpline
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Matthew W. Kreuter, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
With food banks strained and federal support uncertain, community fridges, mutual aid networks, and independent helplines like Lemontree are becoming lifelines for families navigating the crisis.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Miami’s 211 helpline for people in crisis has been receiving an influx of calls from people who are food insecure, according to Jewish Community Services of South Florida, the organization that operates the free helpline.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
Living Beyond Breast Cancer provides support groups for patients, as well as fundraising events and a helpline.
—Korin Miller, Flow Space, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpline
Cite this Entry
“Helpline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helpline. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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