adjective
-
unable to manage independently
-
made powerless or weak
they were helpless from so much giggling
-
without help
Other Word Forms
- helplessly adverb
- helplessness noun
Etymology
Origin of helpless
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.
She said the duo were so helpless by this point that they did not even try to move when being lifted out and placed in a cardboard box.
From BBC
He made three consecutive threes to ignite a 15-0 surge that left Rolling Hills Prep helpless.
From Los Angeles Times
“I felt helpless when I heard this little girl. For me, to not feel helpless, I felt I should do this movie. Everything else seemed trivial.”
From Los Angeles Times
I am helpless before a well-appointed salad case.
From Salon
Dad avoids eye contact when he says this part, and I realize he feels as helpless as I do.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
