helplessness

Definition of helplessnessnext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of helplessness Seattle’s helplessness extended to its lineup, as the Mariners were unable to cash in a single run against Gary Sánchez, who completed the shutout as a position player pitching. Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Picture the anger and helplessness of watching that person bleed out through a video on your phone. Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026 At this moment, complete inertia, helplessness, or escape seemed to be the only ways to react, but Zionism offered a strategy for coping with the changing circumstances, a strategy that had begun with Theodor Herzl. Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 Indignation emerged as the dominant emotion, cited by 80% of respondents, followed by helplessness (74%) and sadness (71%). Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026 Europeans also exposed themselves to a concerted and resourceful Americanization, which partly accounts for their intellectual helplessness today. Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 Welcome to the strange phenomenon of people expressing anger or helplessness to online content creators or writers who don’t acknowledge their specific lifestyles or limitations. Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 16 July 2026 And to relegate yourself to that inert position so much does, at some level, inspire a certain helplessness in you. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026 The earthquakes are among the strongest to hit the South American nation in more than a century, and for Chicagoans with family there, the strongest feeling today is helplessness. Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helplessness
Noun
  • Unable to leave without military permission, Ridi confronts settlers who claim his yard as theirs, underscoring Palestinians’ powerlessness as violent outposts expand with scant police accountability.
    Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The fast pace of technological change has intensified this feeling of powerlessness.
    Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Microsoft entered the cybersecurity-model category in late July with MAI-Cyber-1-Flash, a compact model built specifically for vulnerability analysis.
    Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The vulnerability could be on defense after coordinator Jay Hill joined Kyle Whittingham at Michigan.
    Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Today, most 16- and 17-year-olds who commit crimes are generally handled in juvenile court because policymakers recognize that adolescents differ from adults in judgment, impulse control, risk assessment, and susceptibility to peer influence.
    Keith Wortz, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This offers one possible explanation for teenage risk-taking behavior and susceptibility to peer influence.
    J. Todd R. Lawrence, STAT, 27 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Helplessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helplessness. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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