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
However, in the immediate aftermath of something horrible, when everyone feels helpless, prayer can be a good place to go at the start, said Collins.
—
Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Innocent children, trusting and helpless, absorb the consequences.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Although they are born fairly helpless, infants have a few survival tricks up their swaddles.
—Elissa Strauss, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2025
Saliba and Gabriel would have still likely bossed Nmecha in that scenario, but Piroe was helpless as possession was ceded over his head time after time.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Innocent children, trusting and helpless, absorb the consequences.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Although they are born fairly helpless, infants have a few survival tricks up their swaddles.
—Elissa Strauss, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2025
Saliba and Gabriel would have still likely bossed Nmecha in that scenario, but Piroe was helpless as possession was ceded over his head time after time.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpless
Adjective
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Last month, the Food and Drug Administration granted approval for COVID-19 vaccine doses for people over age 65, who are most vulnerable to severe infections.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Sep. 2025
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Recent studies have shown entry-level positions especially vulnerable to automation are being scaled back thanks to AI.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Feeling paralyzed in your job search?—
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Her son was left paralyzed from the mid-chest down, had to have his left leg amputated at the knee and two thirds of his bowel removed — and almost a month later, is still in the hospital, where he is intubated and fighting an infection.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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However, due to space constraints, not all instruments could fit inside the titanium vault, and the ones that couldn’t would be more susceptible to the inevitable degradation that would ensue from being exposed to this radiation-rich environment.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
3 Sep. 2025
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This finding raises the possibility that mammoths, as close relatives of modern elephants, might have been susceptible to similar infections.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Royals made a lot of weak contact, which resulted in a mix of groundouts.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
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Last week, a weaker-than-expected jobs report added to expectations of an imminent rate cut by the central bank.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Evans, who lives in Cincinnati and was only recently released from the hospital herself, was powerless to help him.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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In an interview with Variety, Katz acknowledges the judgment, but says the state is powerless to collect.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The man was charged with multiple felony charges but found incompetent to stand trial.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Esmeralda is incompetent, egotistic, and, thanks to Impacciatore’s ace comedic timing, totally fabulous.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpless. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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