- present participle of help.
helping
Americannoun
-
helpings
plural
-
the act of a person or thing that helps.
-
a portion of food served to a person at one time.
That's his third helping of ice cream.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of helping
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; see origin at help, -ing 1, -ing 2
Vocabulary lists containing helping
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:
By converting part of the glucose into gluconate, the implant prevents that portion from being metabolized and stored in tissues, potentially helping reduce fat accumulation.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
"Unitaid's early risk-taking is helping shorten the time between a scientific breakthrough and real access in countries," added Philippe Duneton, Unitaid's executive director.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
Mark Borkowski, a public relations expert, says the blend of Streeting’s po-faced seriousness and Rayner’s irreverence is helping to catch people’s attention, with Burnham acting as a middle ground.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
The King's "most significant contribution has been helping to connect leaders, institutions and investors - many of whom he knows personally from his many years of international diplomacy", says the Palace.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
Another winter she was helping Lester revise his ‘What Indiana Means to Me’ essay for the county contest.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
I remember people curled up on borrowed beanbags, eating second helpings of soup and talking over a movie they’d all seen before.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
“The Storytellers” considers these writers and others of the 19th century with large helpings of narrative summary but always with insight and intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Those are solid results, considering the funds’ big helpings of bonds—the safety-first shock absorbers that make up a big part of their appeal to cautious investors.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2025
Superstar players, fanatical fans, regular helpings of drama and the sinister side of the game - the Superclasico has it all.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2025
Some people had gone back for more helpings of food—potato pie, ribs.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
