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help 1 of 2

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as in to benefit
to provide with something useful or desirable being independently wealthy certainly helped him during his years as a struggling young artist

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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help

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word help distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of help are ameliorate, better, and improve. While all these words mean "to make more acceptable or to bring nearer a standard," help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement.

a coat of paint would help that house

In what contexts can ameliorate take the place of help?

Although the words ameliorate and help have much in common, ameliorate implies making more tolerable or acceptable conditions that are hard to endure.

tried to ameliorate the lives of people in the tenements

How do improve and better relate to one another, in the sense of help?

Both improve and better are general and interchangeable and apply to what can be made better whether it is good or bad.

measures to further improve the quality of medical care
immigrants hoping to better their lot

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of help
Verb
Making a move like this would help the Mets avoid another disappointing season next year. Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025 From disasters to everyday hardships, Delivering Good helps to restore comfort, renew hope and help families move forward with dignity. Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
Rather, Nuremberg builds to a showdown on the stand, trapping him, with Kelley's help, into declaring his unwavering fealty to Hitler beyond the grave. NPR, 11 Nov. 2025 Starting about a decade ago, the local chamber of commerce, with help from Watt and other volunteers, began promoting the town as the Tall Tree Capital, as a way to diversify itself. Brad Badelt, Outside, 11 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for help
Recent Examples of Synonyms for help
Verb
  • Sullivan also assisted on the Americans’ opening goal, a 30th-minute finish tucked away by Charlotte FC homegrown Nimfasha Berchimas.
    Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office assisted the agency.
    Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Eileen Fagen, owner of The Fitness Factory of Charlotte, says strength training along with cardio can alleviate some symptoms related to perimenopause.
    Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The 34-year-old slugger would be a massive offensive upgrade to Casas, while also alleviating his defensive downside by playing first base.
    Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The Heat, which was out-rebounded 61-38 in Wednesday’s loss in Denver, has had particular difficulty preventing teams from rebounding their own miss.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
  • When in a group, space out to prevent the current from transferring between individuals.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Dart could certainly benefit from someone like McCarthy, who has coached the likes of Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott since becoming a head coach.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Understanding automation and working to create the conditions where workers can benefit from technical advances is an important task for the twenty-first century.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Their findings provide a blueprint for improving efficiency, stability, and scalability, key steps toward mass deployment and alignment with China’s carbon neutrality goals.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Five takeaways from the Miami Heat’s dramatic 140-138 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night at Kaseya Center to improve to 3-0 on its four-game homestand.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The Arkansas Department of Human Services has been following the federal Department of Agriculture’s recent guidance on SNAP, issuing partial benefits to 240,000 low-income Arkansans participating in the nutrition assistance program.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2025
  • But there's still a lot in limbo, including pay for federal workers like air traffic controllers, SNAP food assistance and the potential for political blowback to put a possible deal in jeopardy.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The work accomplished at Silent Swarm 2025, along with technology such as the TEEMS device, illustrates how the company is architecting the advantage for today’s performance and tomorrow’s success along the tactical edge.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Through two periods, Carolina had a 25-11 advantage in shots on goal.
    Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The East Wing houses the offices for the first lady and her staff.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • An 11-bay carriage house with a guest apartment, along with a 4,500-square-foot staff house, rounds out the magnificent estate.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Help.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/help. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

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