helping hand

noun

Definition of helping handnext
as in assistance
an act or instance of helping a skilled mechanic who generously provides a helping hand when his neighbors are plagued by car troubles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 helping hand Alex’s older brother gave him an enormous helping hand in getting his tour card. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 10 May 2026 Costume makers sat at their respective tables concentrated on their finishing touches, while young helping hands dashed in and out of the room bringing items to other departments. — Kansas City Star, 4 May 2026 The Shark Cordless Pet Vacuum is a major helping hand for anyone living with a furry friend. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026 Thomas provided that helping hand again Tuesday night, scoring eight points to go with six assists and four steals for the host Hawks in a 70-40 South Suburban Blue victory over Bremen. — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for helping hand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helping hand
  1. assistance
  2. help
  3. assist
  4. support
  5. boost
  6. lift
Noun
  • Waymo’s support team is automatically notified if the vehicle crashes, and a roadside assistance representative will come to the collision site to assess the situation in person.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
  • The man behind the wheel overrode driver-assistance features and fully pressed the car’s accelerator, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
    — Faiz Siddiqui, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
Definition of assistance
Noun
  • Hendry beat Dominik Mysterio in a non-title match with help from Danhausen and Iyo Sky, after early interference from Liv Morgan.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The child screamed for help during the incident, while Pambianchi yelled for Schmidt to get off of the child, Pambianchi said.
    — Gabe White, Arkansas Online, 21 July 2026
Definition of help
Noun
  • In his first international meeting with England, Messi had a pair of assists on two late-match daggers that pierced through the hearts of Three Lions’ players and supporters.
    — Gavin Godfrey, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
  • Hugo Gonzalez recorded a double-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Celtics (3-1).
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of assist
Noun
  • Faucette attributes her sleep triumph to family support and a new parental benefit offered by the city of Atlanta.
    — Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
  • Allen, who has been tracking the conflict, told CNN that drones are now used to monitor enemy movements, support ground operations, strike supply lines and attack infrastructure.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Definition of support
Noun
  • Try a trend-forward pair of glove flats to give your look an elevated boost, transforming your slouchy bottoms from low-key to downtown chic.
    — India Roby, Glamour, 15 July 2026
  • For formal events, heels from Kate Spade, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Steve Madden, usually featuring a platform sole to offer her a boost.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 15 July 2026
Definition of boost
Noun
  • Josephson junctions are traditionally fabricated with electron-beam lithography and an evaporation lift-off technique that uses organic photoresist stencils.
    — Paul Smith-Goodson, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Before Spain’s current men’s success, one member of the team took a stance that could have jeopardized his career — and easily made Sunday’s trophy lift a distant dream.
    — Emily Olsen, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of lift

Browse Nearby Words

helping
helping hand
helping hands
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Helping hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helping%20hand. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All