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.

One of the dark ideas of the novel is that the aristocracy’s moral and spiritual bankruptcy left them helpless in the face of Europe’s rising totalitarian ideologies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

“If you’re feeling helpless, if you’re feeling hopeless, if you’re feeling betrayed, if you’re feeling frustrated, if you’re feeling angry — I mean, I know I’ve been,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Many of our children’s favorite apps and social-media sites were built from the ground up to keep young users hooked and helpless to look away, consequences to their health and well-being be damned.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

"I can't imagine how helpless people must have been," she said between heavy sighs, adding: "I really regret that I didn't knock on a single door."

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

But the deals people made with Nansi never quite ended well for them, as they usually found themselves on the short end of the stick—cheated and helpless.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer