helpful

[help-fuhl] / ˈhɛlp fəl /

ADJECTIVE

beneficial, beneficent

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accessible advantageous applicable conducive constructive convenient cooperative crucial essential favorable friendly important invaluable practical productive profitable significant suitable supportive sympathetic timely useful valuable

WEAK

accommodating benevolent bettering caring considerate contributive effectual efficacious fortunate good for improving instrumental kind neighborly operative pragmatic serendipitous serviceable symbiotic usable utilitarian

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cold cool disagreeable hindering hurting inappropriate inessential injurious inopportune insignificant minor nonessential trivial unfavorable unfriendly unhelpful unimportant unsociable unsuitable useless worthless

WEAK

disadvantageous harmful hurtful unconstructive

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.

"It's all about what makes sense to the person, what's helpful to us, rather than being right about something."

From BBC • May 15, 2026

“Another woman that I talked to told me that this was going to be very helpful, because her husband had just been detained by ICE and he was a sole supporter,” said Solis.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Puzder said commenting publicly on areas of disagreement is helpful in clarifying both sides’ views.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

The company added that Alexa for Shopping delivers a more personal, helpful shopping experience across a wide range of devices.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

There is a chance Fly could be helpful, but I also don’t want to put Fly in any unnecessary danger.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

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