as in powerlessness
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Recent Examples of helplessness
Triggering can cause a host of mental health issues, including flashbacks to one's own trauma, panic attacks and feelings of helplessness, Sarkis previously told USA TODAY.
—
Charles Trepany, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Anger and helplessness drive some young people to Nick Fuentes, others to Hasan Piker, and others still to fentanyl or 20-hour days of Fortnite.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Cinematographer Ben Goodman straddles the line between both with sharp lensing that places particular emphasis on overhead shots, underlining Caplan’s horizontal helplessness.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
For years, people who lived just outside the urban center of Boca Raton complained to each other about the massive new buildings going up all around Palmetto Park Boulevard and Mizner Park, but these conversations always ended with the same sense of helplessness.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s a level of helplessness that drags up, being surrounded by AI tools and AI updates and AI jobs, only to be faced with an idiot parent or friend or casual acquaintance using AI to justify their shitty actions towards you.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
But Tolstoy showed us the panic and disorientation, the helplessness of the individual in battle.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
The low-pitch frustration and helplessness plaguing Ann give Constance Zimmer good material to work with.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Watching events unfold in a place that is so emotionally close to you while being physically distant creates a constant sense of helplessness.
—Emily Chan, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Charles Trepany, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Anger and helplessness drive some young people to Nick Fuentes, others to Hasan Piker, and others still to fentanyl or 20-hour days of Fortnite.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Cinematographer Ben Goodman straddles the line between both with sharp lensing that places particular emphasis on overhead shots, underlining Caplan’s horizontal helplessness.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
For years, people who lived just outside the urban center of Boca Raton complained to each other about the massive new buildings going up all around Palmetto Park Boulevard and Mizner Park, but these conversations always ended with the same sense of helplessness.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s a level of helplessness that drags up, being surrounded by AI tools and AI updates and AI jobs, only to be faced with an idiot parent or friend or casual acquaintance using AI to justify their shitty actions towards you.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
But Tolstoy showed us the panic and disorientation, the helplessness of the individual in battle.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
The low-pitch frustration and helplessness plaguing Ann give Constance Zimmer good material to work with.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Watching events unfold in a place that is so emotionally close to you while being physically distant creates a constant sense of helplessness.
—Emily Chan, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helplessness
Noun
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The characters in this novel are forced to live in a neoliberal world where their powerlessness is already predetermined, and they’re ignored by society and told to just keep on living.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps the deepest conflict is not between red and blue, but between power and powerlessness.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Yet in a conflict like this, that external focus and reliance on international links can also be a vulnerability.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
-
On Wednesday, researchers from Google, Lookout, and iVerify warned about the attack, which uses a chain of multiple software vulnerabilities to remotely compromise vulnerable iPhones.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Other issues include susceptibility to diseases and pests, weed invasion, uneven growth among plant species, and potential nutrient deficiencies over time.—
Lauren Wellbank,
Martha Stewart,
16 Mar. 2026
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All of them have the same susceptibility to certain pests.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Helplessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helplessness. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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