1
as in vulnerable
lacking protection from danger or resistance against attack
after the storm we found a helpless baby bird that had fallen out of its nest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in paralyzed
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
we watched, feeling helpless, as the vase slipped from her hand and crashed to the floor
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of helpless
Locked away in an old house in Montana, her increasingly agitated and erratic behavior leaves her companion, Jackson, played by Pattinson, worried and helpless.
—
Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
That has forced fewer service providers to handle more cases to pick up that slack, leaving many feeling overworked and helpless.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2025
Her voice, a clear, singsong cadence that toddlers seem helpless to resist, has become, for millions of parents, the definitive soundtrack of early childhood.
—Samantha Barry, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2025
The Nuggets were helpless to stop it.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
That has forced fewer service providers to handle more cases to pick up that slack, leaving many feeling overworked and helpless.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2025
Her voice, a clear, singsong cadence that toddlers seem helpless to resist, has become, for millions of parents, the definitive soundtrack of early childhood.
—Samantha Barry, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2025
The Nuggets were helpless to stop it.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpless
Adjective
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If an entrance hole is too large, smaller nesting birds will be vulnerable to predators and invasive species, including house sparrows, larger birds of prey, squirrels, snakes and even cats, which Hamlin says are birds’ top predators.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Jan. 2026
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People who have weakened immune systems or existing lung and heart disease are most vulnerable to cardiac complications from the flu.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In a heartbreaking video, a partially paralyzed dog is caught twitching his paws in his sleep, and internet users can’t stop sobbing.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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After suddenly losing her voice in November 2022, Williams-Paisley was later diagnosed with a partially paralyzed vocal cord.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The deterioration in the labor market has been concentrated in payroll employment, which is the [datapoint] that is the most susceptible to demographic and immigration changes.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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However, Arizona's hot and dry desert climate made Gilbert susceptible to drought and wildfires, causing the low ranking in natural disaster risk.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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New orders contracted for a fourth month and export bookings remained weak, based on the ISM data.—
Reade Pickert Bloomberg,
Arkansas Online,
6 Jan. 2026
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Getting too little of either can lead to weak, brittle bones, and too much can also cause problems (like kidney stones or nausea).—
T'Keyah Bazin,
Verywell Health,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Lucas Paqueta equalised, Sven Botman slid the ball into his own net and then Tomas Soucek gilded the scoreline at the death and, through all of it, Newcastle were powerless.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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Quietly, evil collapsed, while Maloyan’s virtue stood firm against brutal force, rendering that force powerless.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Under California law, people who are found incompetent to stand trial must be sent to a state hospital or secure mental health care facility.—
Nathaniel Percy,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
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He was found to be incompetent to face the charge in August 2023, and later civilly committed for a mental illness.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpless. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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