Synonyms of helped

helped

verb

past tense of help

1

as in aided

to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end

offered to help her widowed father when he moved into an apartment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aided
• assisted
• supported
• reinforced
• abetted
• encouraged
• backed
• facilitated
• saved
• bolstered
• guided
• promoted
• propped (up)
• endorsed
• backstopped
• sponsored
• benefited
• furthered
• comforted
• fostered
• bore a hand
• served
• championed
• launched
• attended
• forwarded
• rescued
• stood one in good stead
• sustained
• eased
• advised
• patronized
• boosted
• obliged
• advanced
• nurtured
• emboldened
• profited
• ministered (to)
• buttressed
• succored
• mentored
• counseled
• heartened
• favored
• cared (for)
• bailed out
• delivered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hindered
• hampered
• impeded
• failed
• inhibited
• blocked
• opposed
• handicapped
• constrained
• restrained
• interfered
• obstructed
• barred
• balked
• thwarted
• held back
• frustrated
• strangled
• disappointed
• baffled
• discouraged
• deserted
• foiled
• let down
• sabotaged
• hurt
• inconvenienced
• damaged
• injured
• disheartened
• harmed
• stifled
• stunted
• repressed
• retarded
• straitened

2

as in relieved

to make more bearable or less severe

the new ointment didn't help Josh's sunburn one bit

Synonyms & Similar Words

• relieved
• alleviated
• soothed
• eased
• mitigated
• softened
• improved
• allayed
• healed
• cured
• assuaged
• mollified
• enhanced
• lightened
• tempered
• remedied
• palliated
• corrected
• moderated
• abated
• repaired
• amended
• fixed
• enriched
• refined
• rectified
• bettered
• perfected
• reformed
• ameliorated
• emended
• mended
• meliorated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hurt
• aggravated
• impaired
• injured
• exacerbated
• intensified
• harmed
• heightened
• sharpened

3

as in prevented

to keep from happening by taking action in advance

they couldn't help the way things turned out

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prevented
• averted
• precluded
• avoided
• provided
• obviated
• escaped
• forestalled
• anticipated
• saved
• hindered
• headed off
• hampered
• deterred
• impeded
• thwarted
• shook
• evaded
• neutralized
• nullified
• staved off
• stopped
• balked
• baffled
• eluded
• frustrated
• forbade
• negated
• interfered (with)
• stalled
• deflected
• foiled
• prohibited
• shunned
• retarded
• blocked
• offset
• made up (for)
• eschewed
• counteracted
• inhibited
• checked
• circumvented
• halted
• counterbalanced
• compensated (for)
• arrested
• barred
• dodged
• ducked
• checkmated
• fended (off)
• warded (off)
• shirked

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• aided
• assisted
• abetted
• facilitated
• encouraged
• eased
• smoothed
• promoted
• fostered
• let
• allowed
• cultivated
• furthered
• advanced
• left
• forwarded
• nurtured
• permitted
• unclogged

4

as in benefited

to provide with something useful or desirable

being independently wealthy certainly helped him during his years as a struggling young artist

Synonyms & Similar Words

• benefited
• profited
• availed
• aided
• served
• assisted
• improved
• succeeded
• advantaged
• worked (for)
• pleased
• blessed
• delighted
• satisfied
• gratified
• bettered
• contented
• gladdened

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hindered
• hurt
• injured
• impaired
• damaged
• impeded
• upset
• harmed
• afflicted
• distressed

5

as in improved

to make better

some minor revisions would help this essay immensely

Synonyms & Similar Words

• improved
• enhanced
• refined
• enriched
• perfected
• amended
• bettered
• upgraded
• remedied
• ameliorated
• reinforced
• meliorated
• remediated
• strengthened
• corrected
• intensified
• rectified
• revised
• rehabilitated
• reformed
• reworked
• boosted
• edited
• emended
• revamped
• redrafted
• fine-tuned
• refurbished
• fined
• honed
• fortified
• polished
• rehabbed
• retouched
• beefed (up)
• touched up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• worsened
• hurt
• harmed
• impaired
• damaged
• injured
• tarnished
• vitiated
• spoiled
• reduced
• flawed
• marred
• blighted
• disfigured
• diminished
• lowered
• lessened
• defaced
• endamaged
• blemished

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of helped

Wearing something slightly more playful also helped keep the whole day from feeling too serious or dramatic. — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2026

Van Noy’s familiarity with defensive coordinator Brian Flores helped Minnesota’s pursuit. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026

With her star power, Zendaya helped to cement the comeback of gladiator sandals, which other celebrities had been embracing, too. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

And just down the street, there's an elementary school named after a Haitian leader who helped liberate the island nation. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

In 2020, Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University, which helped fund coronavirus research and Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026

Two centuries later, Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch helped establish germ theory, which holds that many diseases are caused by infectious agents that multiply in the body. — Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026

The cost of doing that is in the millions, and the rising cost of diesel has not helped over the course of the past year. — Chilekasi Adele, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

The Amazing Spider-Man and Social Network actor got candid about portraying the controversial executive who has helped spearhead the AI revolution. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026