helpful

1 of 2

adjective

help·​ful ˈhelp-fəl How to pronounce helpful (audio)
Southern often ˈhep-
also ˈheəp-
Synonyms of helpfulnext
: of service or assistance : useful
a helpful neighbor
helpful advice
just trying to be helpful
helpfully
ˈhelp-fə-lē How to pronounce helpful (audio)
adverb
helpfulness noun

helpfulness

2 of 2

noun

help·​ful·​ness
-fəlnə̇s
plural -es
: the quality or state of being helpful
the … helpfulness of reference books—C. B. Shaw

Synonyms of helpful

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of helpful in a Sentence

Adjective A helpful neighbor shoveled our walkway. a kind and helpful person
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
In addition, Kotsay said Heim’s seven seasons of MLB experience are helpful for the A’s many young pitchers and giving the team a consistent presence behind the backstop. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026 Now the spacecraft will ride on the much larger H3 flagship rocket, which can give it a helpful boost to allow a timely visit to inbound Apophis. — Andrew Jones, Scientific American, 30 July 2026 Having someone to help guide the story along is helpful, too. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 30 July 2026 The subsidies have been most helpful for standalone Medicare drug plans rather than Medicare Advantage plans, which have more flexibility to keep premiums low. — Sydney Lupkin, NPR, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for helpful

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see help entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of helpful was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing helpful

Rhymes for helpful

See All Rhymes for helpful

Browse Nearby Words

helper T cell
helpful
helpfulness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Helpful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helpful. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

helpful

adjective
help·​ful ˈhelp-fəl How to pronounce helpful (audio)
: providing help
a helpful neighbor
helpfully
-fə-lē How to pronounce helpful (audio)
adverb
helpfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on helpful

Nglish: Translation of helpful for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All