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Synonyms

helper

American  
[hel-per] / ˈhɛl pər /

noun

  • helpers
    plural
  1. a person or thing that helps or gives assistance, support, etc.

    Synonyms:
    ally, auxiliary, backer, supporter, assistant, aid
  2. an extra locomotive attached to a train at the front, middle, or rear, especially to provide extra power for climbing a steep grade.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of helper

First recorded in 1250–1300; help + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

If Daily Brief is the no-nonsense helper, Dreambeans is its slightly deranged hippie brother.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Galia Borisova, a 55-year-old domestic helper, wanted to reach her animals in nearby Picadas but was having to wait.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Ogwumike moved into fifth on the Sparks’ all-time assists list with her third helper in the first quarter, passing Mwadi Mabika.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

For decades, scientists believed that MHC class I molecules primarily communicated with CD8+ T cells, often called "killer" T cells, while MHC class II molecules activated CD4+ T cells, commonly known as "helper" T cells.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2026

Bongo flipped a penny she kept in her collection of treasures, and we arrived at our helper: the smallest baby opossum, Flashlight.

From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate

The company has had half a million users to date, but even as its user base grew, the team maintained just two people in marketing, plus AI-agent helpers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

"You've also got your helpers, the wool wrappers and everything else so it assists with the costs."

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

“Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service,” a follow-up series that debuted in 2025, pushed the premise further still: undercover helpers, surveillance, insiders and Ramsay comparing the operation to going “full on MI6” with restaurants.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

That’s when the first in a series of helpers rushed to his aid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

To do this sort of work, Jones and Allen had to mobilize an army of helpers.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

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