1
as in harmful
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2
as in impractical
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3
as in impolite
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unhelpful
The timing and setting of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s statement was unhelpful, even if it was fueled by grief and righteous anger.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Piper then recalls how markets were remarkably inefficient and unhelpful during capitalism’s greatest test since the Great Depression.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
That's where the unhelpful comments tend to come in.
—Time, 26 Aug. 2025
Musiala can be highly effective against low blocks, making his absence extremely unhelpful, regardless of Bayern’s many advantages.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhelpful
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Piper then recalls how markets were remarkably inefficient and unhelpful during capitalism’s greatest test since the Great Depression.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
That's where the unhelpful comments tend to come in.
—Time, 26 Aug. 2025
Musiala can be highly effective against low blocks, making his absence extremely unhelpful, regardless of Bayern’s many advantages.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhelpful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhelpful
Adjective
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Researchers in Indonesia have unveiled a ‘dazzling breakthrough’ that transforms plastic waste into glowing nanomaterials capable of sensing harmful substances in water.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Sep. 2025
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These statements are harmful and untrue, Chabot said.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In vacuum and one-sixth gravity, lubricants boil off, moving parts behave differently, and remote or autonomous operation is necessary because of the time delay between Earth and Moon, which makes real-time teleoperation impractical.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Sep. 2025
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Unfortunately, some of these tests are impractical and risk causing real-world harm.—
Matthew Hutson,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And folks who are worried about coming off as impolite can find a phrase that feels comfortable for them and repeat that.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
12 Sep. 2025
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Writing the most unbridled, impolite, unreasonable, pathetic rant that gives voice to unseen, unheard parts of you opens a relief valve that transfers emotional pain onto the page.—
Jessica DuLong,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Even as tragedy and struggle beset the tenement districts, the very qualities that defined the tenement’s unfavorable physical conditions—over-crowdedness and density—became building blocks for community.—
Annie Polland,
Time,
25 Sep. 2025
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When unfavorable ratios of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol were considered, those with the least favorable ratios had a 54% higher risk of high blood pressure.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said later on Tuesday that a key oxygen station at the Al-Quds Hospital was struck by Israeli gunfire and was rendered unusable.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
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If the main engine is declared unusable, one possible option for getting around the main engine problem might be using these smaller thrusters to more gradually adjust the Cygnus spacecraft's orbit to line up the final approach with the ISS.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Boiled down to a thoughtless pervert by the public, Six became one.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
21 Aug. 2025
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In the days depicted in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, thoughtless incarceration of the mentally ill was too common.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Speaking to reporters for the first time since the opener, Prince on Friday took responsibility for the late substitutions that contributed to two damaging delay of game penalties late in the Week 2 loss against the Patriots.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
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In just a matter of hours, damaging winds and record-breaking flooding started to devastate many areas, especially the higher terrains of the southeastern Appalachians.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Adams’ tactics rendered the gag rule toothless and useless, prompting even six southern Congressmen to vote in favor of overturning it.—
Time,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
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That framing is politically useful but practically useless.—
Kristie De Pena,
Oc Register,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unhelpful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhelpful. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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