1
as in useful
providing service or assistance
a website that I've always found to be helpful for finding information on common medical problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beneficial
promoting or contributing to personal or social well-being
the teachers felt that it would be helpful to have more than one thesaurus in the classroom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 helpful
Community drug checking — a harm-reduction tool gaining ground in many eastern states — can be helpful for care and prevention.
—
Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
This is especially helpful for finer, more fragile curls that are prone to breakage.
—Aimee Simeon, Glamour, 7 May 2026
There’s also a small spa and the young staff are super helpful.
—Eddi Fiegel, Robb Report, 7 May 2026
An independent task force investigating the GTTF's crimes said Jenkins was not helpful to them and wanted a movie producer to sit in for his interview.
—Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for helpful
Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
This is especially helpful for finer, more fragile curls that are prone to breakage.
—Aimee Simeon, Glamour, 7 May 2026
There’s also a small spa and the young staff are super helpful.
—Eddi Fiegel, Robb Report, 7 May 2026
An independent task force investigating the GTTF's crimes said Jenkins was not helpful to them and wanted a movie producer to sit in for his interview.
—Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for helpful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpful
Adjective
-
Something casual could become useful quickly.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
If a thick field guide covering all the plants growing along the Front Range feels intimidating, apps can be useful, Mowen says.—
Jamie Siebrase,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The park said tipsters may remain anonymous, though officials noted that sharing information could be beneficial to National Park Service investigators.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
The messaging has remained constant, and it’s proven beneficial to all parties involved.—
Jaylon Thompson
May 7,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
If a member school’s athletic department desperately needs a line of credit, the university can arrange a more favorable one.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
-
Surfers competed in the finals of their respective classes, again in less-than-favorable conditions.—
Tony Le Calvez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
While the new stadium deal has generated a lot of good press in the days since it was announced, both Swanston and Singh acknowledge that things are extremely early in the process.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
Illinois Wesleyan recruit Conor McCabe went 2-for-4 and delivered a three-run double in the fifth inning to put the Knights (13-11, 6-5) ahead for good.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The two clubs share many similarities beyond playing a friendly in 2014 and doing business in the form of Nicola Sansone’s transfer a decade ago.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
The conversation will revisit favorite character moments from the series and give fans an inside look at the process of filming the animal-friendly period piece.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Helpful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpful. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
