helpless

adjective

help·​less ˈhel-pləs 

Southern often ˈhep-ləs

also ˈheəp-

1

: lacking protection or support : defenseless

… as helpless as a flock of shepherdless sheep …

—W. H. Mallock

2

a

: marked by an inability to act or react

The crowd looked on in helpless horror …

—Current Biography

b

: not able to be controlled or restrained

helpless laughter

helplessly adverb

helplessness noun

Synonyms of helpless

• vulnerable
• susceptible

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

Pele controls the ball in the penalty area with his thigh, flips it over the head of the defender and smashes it past a helpless Kalle Svensson. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

Model and socialite Bella Hadid worried fans with a message saying Lyme disease has rendered her all but helpless. — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 26 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

But when his son Naseer was born in May 2025, Ajas Ahmed had never felt so helpless. — Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 21 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

see help entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

helpless

adjective

help·​less ˈhel-pləs 

1

: being without defense

2

: powerless

helplessly adverb

helplessness noun