helped; helping; helps
1
: to give assistance or support to (someone) : to provide (someone) with something that is useful or necessary in achieving an end
How can I help you?
He helps the children with their homework.
Can you help me get this jar open?
She helped him (walk) up/down the stairs.
2
3
4
5
: to serve with food or drink especially at a meal
told the guests to help themselves
6
: to take something for (oneself) without permission
helped himself to the car keys
1
: to give assistance or support
—often used with out
helps out with the housework
2
: to be of use or benefit
every little bit helps
see also helping hand, helping verb
plural helps
1
: the act or an instance of doing or supplying something to make it easier for another to complete a task, deal with a problem, etc. : aid, assistance
I could use some help with the dishes.
We heard cries for help coming from the house.
We couldn't have done this without your help.
I'm glad I could be of help. [=I'm glad I could help.]
see also self-help
2
: a source of aid
She is a help to our efforts.
You've been a great help to us.
The instructions were no help (at all).
He's been more of a hindrance than a help.
Turner … and Mackinley … are big helps with their younger siblings.—
Julia Lipscombe
see also help desk, help menu, help screen
Julia Lipscombe3
4
plural usually help
a
: employee
help wanted
—usually used in plural but singular or plural in constructionMost of the restaurant's summer help is/are college students.
b
often offensive
: a domestic worker
—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
Synonyms
Examples of help in a Sentence
Verb
Don't blame me: I was only trying to help!
Help! Somebody call the police!
She took an aspirin to help her headache.
Humor often helps a tense situation.
It's not much money, but every little bit helps.
Noun
He thanked us for our help.
I could use some help with the dishes.
We could hear shouts for help coming from the house.
He's been more of a hindrance than a help.
Recent Examples on the Web
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
Seeing Murray use hot packs to keep the knees and ankles warm at halftime helped inspire Braun to use them.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Feb. 2023
Police departments in Carroll County could get help from the state with funding the high cost of outfitting officers with body cameras, if a bill introduced in the Maryland General Assembly is passed.
—Sherry Greenfield, Baltimore Sun, 12 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for help 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Golden State playing fast — much faster than Philadelphia — helps, too.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
Seeing Murray use hot packs to keep the knees and ankles warm at halftime helped inspire Braun to use them.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Noun
But in the meantime, those who know her are left to ponder an illness that appears to have consumed the caring mother, in spite of her efforts to get help.
—Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Feb. 2023
Police departments in Carroll County could get help from the state with funding the high cost of outfitting officers with body cameras, if a bill introduced in the Maryland General Assembly is passed.
—Sherry Greenfield, Baltimore Sun, 12 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for help
Articles Related to help
Dictionary Entries Near help
Cite this Entry
“Help.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/help. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
help
1 of 2 verb2
: remedy entry 2, relieve
rest helps a cold
3
a
: to keep from
couldn't help laughing
b
: prevent sense 1
it couldn't be helped
4
: to serve with food or drink
help yourself
help
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of helping : aid, assistance
give help
thanked us for our help
2
: the state of being helped : relief
a situation beyond help
3
: a person or a thing that helps
a help in time of trouble
4
: a hired helper or a body of hired helpers
hire new help
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