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
Mostly, Jamie is crushed by the weight of her own unfulfilled potential, further pointed out by her tinkering, emotionally unhelpful mother.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
To keep a junk drawer from becoming overwhelming and therefore unhelpful.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
In part because of some unhelpful stereotypes.
—Harvard Business Review, 30 Dec. 2025
Paul Gleason portrayed Dwayne Robinson, the somewhat unhelpful deputy chief who initially doesn’t believe that McClane is a good guy.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhelpful
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
To keep a junk drawer from becoming overwhelming and therefore unhelpful.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
In part because of some unhelpful stereotypes.
—Harvard Business Review, 30 Dec. 2025
Paul Gleason portrayed Dwayne Robinson, the somewhat unhelpful deputy chief who initially doesn’t believe that McClane is a good guy.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unhelpful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unhelpful
Adjective
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When asked about Trump’s immigration policies — which have been controversial and are viewed by some Venezuelan residents as harmful to their community — Rodriguez first expressed support.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
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As these processes unfold, the nuclear pore is also blocking things that don’t belong, such as harmful enzymes or misfolded RNAs.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Park Board can issue bonds, something that was impractical for the Port Authority.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
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Woanger Set of 4 Wicker Storage Baskets Pretty, functional storage solutions are the perfect antidote to impractical minimalism.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But as athletes have grown more comfortable publicly revealing their mental health battles, most good-faith actors have grown more careful labeling failure in such impolite fashion.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
18 Feb. 2026
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Not a historical correction, but an emotional one: an impolite acknowledgment of something people feel they are usually expected to soften, qualify, or leave unsaid.—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Republican Party has similarly bleak numbers, with 51% of respondents expressing an unfavorable view.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
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Lodaya noted his previous reservations for Westlake, as well as the broad ethylene sector, included a shrinking ethane advantage and unfavorable polyethylene supply-demand dynamics.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The cost of putting a doomed measure before city voters in June would be minimal compared with the cost of buying an unusable giant office building.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
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When exposed to moisture, including indoor humidity, powder detergent clumps and harden, rendering it unusable.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Scenes meant to convey fondness and dramatic weight instead flatten into thoughtless repetition, as the series’ decades-long dissection of the final girl reveals itself as a stale brand asset.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2026
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Karlsson was on the wrong side of the puck all evening, made careless decisions and generally played a thoughtless game.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But what's rising especially fast is the more damaging type when the heat comes first and that triggers the drought.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Hail and damaging winds are the main concerns.—
McKenna King,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Generative AI in medicine is neither universally embraced as perfect nor completely dismissed as useless.—
Robert Pearl,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
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Computer nerds who’ve never left their basements and mama’s cooking are trying, and have taken over the sport with useless numbers, or analytics.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unhelpful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unhelpful. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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