helm 1 of 2

noun

ˈhelm How to pronounce helm (audio)
Definition of helmnext
as in head
the place of leadership or command She was at the helm when the company went through its most significant period of growth.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

helm

2 of 2

verb

as in to steer
to operate or control the course of a treacherous route for any weekend sailor just learning to helm his vessel

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 helm
Noun
That goes double for a team entering another Cup-or-bust season under the helm of a controversial bench boss who hasn’t coached an NHL game in nearly seven years. — Janson Duench, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Weiss is currently on pace for 98 in his inaugural season at the Braves helm. — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
San Francisco Playhouse is currently presenting the musical, helmed by company artistic director Bill English (with Phaedra Tillery-Boughton credited as associate director) and starring Ella Ruth Francis as the indefatigable dreamer Tracy Turnblad. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 Its director, Sam Pinkleton, had never before helmed a Broadway production, and its writer and star, Cole Escola, would also be making their Broadway début. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for helm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helm
  1. head
  2. steer
  3. chair
  4. pilot
  5. forefront
  6. top
Noun
  • Mayflies hovering around our heads were bound to attract bats, and bats creep me out.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Sunderland were, according to Transfermarkt, the division’s lowest spenders at £66million, but that lower turnover helped preserve the tactical identity implemented by head coach Regis Le Bris last season.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of head
Verb
  • The team designed miniature boats with three cavities tuned to different audible frequencies, enabling them to steer the boat in a particular direction by changing the frequency of the sound waves from a speaker.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
  • However, an iceberg is sustained and steered by the 90% buried beneath the surface.
    — Natalie Grabher, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of steer
Noun
  • As a rising star in the party, a vice chair at the National Republican Senatorial Committee who’s known for her strong Democratic relationships, Britt is trying to help her party navigate the political challenge posed by data center growth.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Shortly after the trade deadline, Tigers closer Kenley Jansen leaned back in his chair and talked about reasons for hope.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of chair
Verb
  • But Deloitte's 2025 Emerging Technology Trends research found that while 38% of organizations are piloting agentic solutions, only 11% are actually running them in production.
    — Krupesh Bhat, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The city is piloting a blockchain project for its roughly 14,000 vacant properties, creating a secure, searchable record of ownership that can reduce titling costs and move homes into redevelopment and productive use.
    — Michael Faulkender, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of pilot
Noun
  • Education and health services added 45,000 to lead all categories, with the latter group being at the forefront of employment growth.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Caruana Galizia’s children were at the forefront in demanding accountability and justice for her death.
    — Kevin Schembri Orland, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of forefront
Noun
  • While dark-wash jeans, trench coats, and sweaters may be top of mind, don’t forget your footwear.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Here’s a snapshot of those findings (not in chronological order, because AI’s top of mind these days; plus, my colleague made a cool interactive graphic for you).
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of top

Browse Nearby Words

hells
helm
helmed
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Cite this Entry

“Helm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helm. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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