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
The wave of conflicting and often inaccurate or incomplete information leaves consumers, particularly those already experiencing financial hardship, feeling overwhelmed, confused, frustrated and helpless.
—
Sandy Anderson, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
And wasn’t the world hard enough, without having to care for helpless children too?
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
In the midst of feeling helpless, Kate said an idea took shape to commemorate the victims.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
However, Florida looked helpless at times due to the Bulls’ short-passing game.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Sandy Anderson, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
And wasn’t the world hard enough, without having to care for helpless children too?
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
In the midst of feeling helpless, Kate said an idea took shape to commemorate the victims.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
However, Florida looked helpless at times due to the Bulls’ short-passing game.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpless
Adjective
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Security That Protects Your Data With Windows 10 reaching its end-of-life, unpatched systems will become more vulnerable to attacks.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
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Both sides were vulnerable on transition, making unforced errors and conceding needless free kicks.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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One of the saddest parts of Remember The Titans is when Bertier got into a car accident that left him paralyzed before their last game.—
Jessica Booth,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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Inside, the wasp provisions its offspring with paralyzed spiders or insects.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Common Pests & Plant Diseases Camellias are susceptible to several fungal diseases, the most serious of which are flower blight, root rot, and camellia dieback and canker.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Oct. 2025
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This is the key reason why older adults are more susceptible to cancer and severe illness.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Nobody can say that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a weak team.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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Akin to two boxers with weak chins slugging it out, Villa wanted to land another blow.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Social media has theoretically given every fan a voice, but in reality supporters have never been so powerless.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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In the late 1830s, as a devastating financial crisis bankrupted antislavery societies across the North, the movement seemed splintered and powerless to keep up its petition pressure campaign.—
Time,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Although Beijing has outcompeted Washington in Myanmar up to this point, the junta’s woefully incompetent management of its currency and foreign reserves presents an opportunity for the United States to recalibrate its approach to the country.—
Dan Swift,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Sep. 2025
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California, with its weak and incompetent Governor, has been particularly hard hit!—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpless. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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