helplesshelp‧less /ˈhelpləs/ ●○○ adjective 
He began to feel depressed and helpless. a vicious attack on a helpless victim Newman threw out a hand in a helpless gesture.2unable to control a strong feeling that you havehelpless with He was near to death, and I was helpless with fear.helpless laughter/rage/tears etc We both collapsed into helpless giggles.—helplessly adverb—helplessness noun [uncountable]
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Doctors are rendered helpless by the lack of supplies.
- Frightened and helpless, Alvin wondered if they might kill him.
- His mother's death left the boy feeling utterly helpless and alone.
- I hate the thought of helpless animals being killed.
- Why are you so afraid of a helpless old woman?
- I feel pretty helpless, have a good cry and share my grief with colleagues who also knew David.
- Looking down through the iron grids of the stairway, I had to fight back a helpless feeling of vertigo.
- Parents often feel helpless, knowing that all the cuddles in the world won't stop the tears.
- She looked back on the transformation in herself with a kind of helpless resignation.
- They were terrified, but they were no longer utterly helpless.
- While she appeared to be confused and helpless, she was also hostile.
Longman Language Activatorhaving no one to help you
if you do something on your own or by yourself you do it without help from anyone else: · Peter cooked everything by himself - he wouldn't even let me in the kitchen.· I doubt I would have been able to find this job on my own.all on your own/all by yourself (=used to emphasize that you do not have any help): · You mean to tell me he painted the whole house all by himself?
needing help because you cannot do anything for yourself or you need protection: · Why are you so afraid of a helpless old woman?· Frightened and helpless, Alvin wondered if they might kill him.utterly helpless: · His mother's death left the boy feeling utterly helpless and alone.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY We both collapsed into helpless giggles.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
We both collapsed into helpless giggles. (=that someone cannot control)· The audience were in fits of helpless laughter.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· When awake, he lay motionless, coiled like a fetus and almost as helpless.· I was as helpless as an infant.· Then they felled me, so that I lay by Elsbeth and was as helpless as she.· It was only like being at the dentist's, after all; certainly he felt as helpless.
· A man felt so helpless at such a time.· He was so sweet when he slept, so helpless, so innocent.· We're so weak physically, so helpless with things.· Oliver says he is a duffer, but keeps him on because he is so helpless and lonesome.· We felt so helpless, so powerless to right what to us was a terrible wrong.· She looked so young, so helpless, this girl who had killed a man, and could have easily killed four.· Once she could find her way around the palazzo she wouldn't feel quite so helpless.
NOUN· I am terrified to look at them because I know I will collapse into helpless laughter.· I flipped from fury straight into hilarity and collapsed on the ground beside him, rolling around in helpless laughter too.
· That is, he or she is viewed as a passive and helpless victim of ruling class, media and state propaganda.· To hold otherwise would leave municipalities the helpless victims of all those who choose to publish untrue imputations which injure their reputations.
WORD FAMILYnounhelphelperhelpfulness ≠ unhelpfulnesshelpinghelplessnessadjectivehelpful ≠ unhelpfulhelplessadverbhelpfully ≠ unhelpfullyhelplesslyverbhelp
1unable to look after yourself or to do anything to help yourself: He began to feel depressed and helpless. a vicious attack on a helpless victim Newman threw out a hand in a helpless gesture.2unable to control a strong feeling that you havehelpless with He was near to death, and I was helpless with fear.helpless laughter/rage/tears etc We both collapsed into helpless giggles.—helplessly adverb—helplessness noun [uncountable]