1
: lacking protection or support : defenseless
as helpless as a flock of shepherdless sheep—
W. H. Mallock
W. H. Mallock2
a
: marked by an inability to act or react
the crowd looked on in helpless horror—Current Biography
Current 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
When employees bring problems to their leaders, a dangerous dynamic often emerges, one that turns capable professionals into helpless children and transforms managers into overbearing parents.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
For the first time in his life, the great shark couldn’t swim freely and, panic-stricken, bolted clear of his world and there was only emptiness, and his tail and pectoral fins were helpless in the void.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
As Schumer’s Stock Falls, Here’s Who’s Vying to Lead Democrats Against Trump
Too often, government appeared, at best, helpless to curb the harmful excesses, and, at worst, a willing collaborator in the profitable carnage.
—Time, 16 July 2025
The 38-year-old Argentine captain delighted the home crowd in the 17th minute, converting a free kick with a bending left-footed shot that went beneath Nashville’s jumping wall, through the space the defenders left open and past helpless goalkeeper Joe Willis.
—Miami Herald, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
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Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
For the first time in his life, the great shark couldn’t swim freely and, panic-stricken, bolted clear of his world and there was only emptiness, and his tail and pectoral fins were helpless in the void.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
As Schumer’s Stock Falls, Here’s Who’s Vying to Lead Democrats Against Trump
Too often, government appeared, at best, helpless to curb the harmful excesses, and, at worst, a willing collaborator in the profitable carnage.
—Time, 16 July 2025
The 38-year-old Argentine captain delighted the home crowd in the 17th minute, converting a free kick with a bending left-footed shot that went beneath Nashville’s jumping wall, through the space the defenders left open and past helpless goalkeeper Joe Willis.
—Miami Herald, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for helpless
Cite this Entry
“Helpless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helpless. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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