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
But when his son Naseer was born in May 2025, Ajas Ahmed had never felt so helpless.
—
Kamala Thiagarajan,
NPR,
21 June 2026
Over the course of a 60-yard run, Maradona danced past opponents, escaped challenges and left English defenders helpless before beating the goalkeeper with a clinical finish.
—
Cesar R. Torres,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Arturo has grown used to driving by traffic stops, then circling back to move his friends’ and neighbors’ abandoned cars to their helpless families left behind.
—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
That film served as Carpenter’s follow-up to his breakthrough hit, Halloween, which didn’t invent the slasher film but did codify and popularize the horror subgenre in which seemingly deathless masked killers stalk helpless prey, often horny teens (though anyone will do in a pinch).
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Kamala Thiagarajan,
NPR,
21 June 2026
Over the course of a 60-yard run, Maradona danced past opponents, escaped challenges and left English defenders helpless before beating the goalkeeper with a clinical finish.
—
Cesar R. Torres,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
Arturo has grown used to driving by traffic stops, then circling back to move his friends’ and neighbors’ abandoned cars to their helpless families left behind.
—
Karen Valby,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
That film served as Carpenter’s follow-up to his breakthrough hit, Halloween, which didn’t invent the slasher film but did codify and popularize the horror subgenre in which seemingly deathless masked killers stalk helpless prey, often horny teens (though anyone will do in a pinch).
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpless
Adjective
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Key industries like agriculture, outdoor recreation, and the power grid are structurally vulnerable to water scarcity and extreme weather, exacerbated by climate change.
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The gang members and associates allegedly focused on recruiting vulnerable minor girls and young women, many of whom came from broken homes or had fallen through the foster care system, Essayli said Wednesday.
Adjective
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The teen, who was crossing the street at the time, was run over twice by the truck, causing catastrophic injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down, local ABC affiliate WKBW reported.
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Surely there were those in attendance, and those watching, who conjured horrible thoughts of Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley being left permanently paralyzed from the chest down after taking a vicious hit from the Oakland Raiders’ Jack Tatum during a 1978 preseason game.
Adjective
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However, people with weakened immune systems or certain underlying health conditions may be more susceptible to infection.
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Cooking Oils Cooking oils high in unsaturated fats, such as olive, walnut, and flaxseed oils, are among the pantry items most susceptible to heat damage.
Adjective
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Following a year of historically weak hiring in 2025, hiring rebounded this spring.
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In a weak free-agency class, centers Robert Williams III (Portland) and Mark Williams (Phoenix) are already off the market, each reportedly agreeing to return to their current teams.
Adjective
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There is no coach more powerless than the college basketball coach.
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Many people feel powerless at work, especially when dealing with managers, write-ups, or fear of losing their jobs.
Adjective
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Clinical psychologists concluded after exams in the six years since his arrest that McGuire was incompetent to stand trial.
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She was found incompetent to stand trial and was committed to the Missouri Department of Mental Health, according to a statement provided by Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Jazzlyn Johnson.
Cite this Entry
“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpless. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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