helpless

adjective

help·​less ˈhel-pləs How to pronounce helpless (audio)
 Southern often  ˈhep-ləs,
 also  ˈheəp-
1
: lacking protection or support : defenseless
as helpless as a flock of shepherdless sheepW. H. Mallock
2
a
: marked by an inability to act or react
the crowd looked on in helpless horrorCurrent Biography
b
: not able to be controlled or restrained
helpless laughter
helplessly adverb
helplessness noun

Examples of helpless in a Sentence

The civilians were helpless against their attackers. Firefighters were helpless against the blaze. I feel helpless. Isn't there anything I can do? The crowd was helpless with laughter. He was helpless with rage.
Recent Examples on the Web Above all, as Haiti approaches a total collapse of its political institutions, many people in South Florida feel frightened and helpless as family members at home try to stay safe from the chaos and violence. Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 Some voters feel helpless because of gerrymandering, or conspiracy theories. Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2024 Feeling worthless, helpless, and overall emptiness are common symptoms. Jordyn Bradley, Fortune Well, 15 Feb. 2024 The most effective way to fix Europe’s dependency problem is for the U.S. to stop treating the Europeans as helpless little children incapable of fending for themselves. Daniel R. Depetris, National Review, 29 Feb. 2024 The entire gymnasium – Green’s O’Dowd teammates, the helpless Los Gatos defenders and the hundreds of supporters who came to see Bishop O’Dowd’s 76-49 first-round NorCal Division II playoff victory – would then watch the ball drop softly into the net, the shot barely disturbing the white cords. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 But then there’s nothing defensible about boiling a helpless sailor to death, either. Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Self-Care During Times of War • At the beginning of the war, Borodina felt helpless and confused about whether her industry even mattered. Sophia Panych, Allure, 22 Feb. 2024 But this motor system actually made a very accurate prediction, and those are the preconditions that are really similar to a helpless offspring because the young man really couldn’t help himself in that situation and everybody knew it. Quanta Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'helpless.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see help entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of helpless was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near helpless

Cite this Entry

“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helpless. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

helpless

adjective
help·​less ˈhel-pləs How to pronounce helpless (audio)
1
: being without defense
2
helplessly adverb
helplessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on helpless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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