1
: lacking protection or support : defenseless
as helpless as a flock of shepherdless sheep—
W. H. Mallock
W. H. Mallock2
a
: marked by an inability to act or react
the crowd looked on in helpless horror—Current Biography
Current Biography
b
: not able to be controlled or restrained
helpless laughter
helplessly
adverb
helplessness
noun
Examples of helpless in a Sentence
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
His curveball induced one helpless swing from the Diamondbacks (26-23) after another.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Scheifele’s emotional and inspirational decision to play mere hours after his father’s unexpected death — to play for his dad, to play because of his dad — ended in cruel fashion, with Scheifele helpless in the penalty box.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 18 May 2025
The audience and the performer together make a kind of indoor weather—making rain, or warmth, or, on bad nights, leaving each other standing helpless in the cold.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 14 May 2025
And the Warriors — whose only offensive faucet since Curry went down has been to push with pace and score either in transition or against cross matches — were helpless when attempting to score against Minnesota’s set defense.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
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Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Scheifele’s emotional and inspirational decision to play mere hours after his father’s unexpected death — to play for his dad, to play because of his dad — ended in cruel fashion, with Scheifele helpless in the penalty box.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 18 May 2025
The audience and the performer together make a kind of indoor weather—making rain, or warmth, or, on bad nights, leaving each other standing helpless in the cold.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 14 May 2025
And the Warriors — whose only offensive faucet since Curry went down has been to push with pace and score either in transition or against cross matches — were helpless when attempting to score against Minnesota’s set defense.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Cite this Entry
“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helpless. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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