1
as in assistant
a person who helps a more skilled person
after several years as a photographer's helpmate, the young man decided to pursue his own ambitions in commercial photography
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in wife
a female partner in a marriage
the man and his helpmate of 50 years decided that it was high time they took a trip around the world together
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of helpmate
The sheltering animals become a makeshift community of helpmates, but marauders onshore, and in the air, abound.
—
Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024
Catilina actually is a sci-fi hero, a collection of stereotypes about radical brilliance — brooding, brash, impatient, and masculine (the women in Megalopolis are cast as supportive helpmates or scheming bitches) — whose world-saving project is a blank space the movie can’t actually envision.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
Finally, Harris-Biden 2024 could open the door to a new era of political stagecraft where women are front-and-center, and men are their helpmates.
—Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 22 July 2024
Popular on Variety Nika King portrays the dynamic Donna, who is more force than mere helpmate.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 4 July 2024
Sarah’s love of the British countryside and history, her total dedication to researching narratives and developing textile techniques—and her loyalty—made her Lee McQueen’s ideal helpmate in producing his spectacular feats of fashion theater throughout the 2000s.
—Sarah Mower, Vogue, 30 Sep. 2023
On the face of it, your partner doesn’t seem to have placed a high priority on being your stalwart helpmate.
—Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 4 Apr. 2023
If that’s true, Biden will need an LBJ-style willingness to bully and cajole his party’s caucus along with an FDR-sized resolve to go against the vast power and resources of the industry that has allies on his team and sees him as a pliable helpmate.
—Libby Watson, The New Republic, 21 Aug. 2020
And Guenevere is now a strategic helpmate, periodically outthinking her husband.
—Michael Paulson, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023
Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024
Catilina actually is a sci-fi hero, a collection of stereotypes about radical brilliance — brooding, brash, impatient, and masculine (the women in Megalopolis are cast as supportive helpmates or scheming bitches) — whose world-saving project is a blank space the movie can’t actually envision.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
Finally, Harris-Biden 2024 could open the door to a new era of political stagecraft where women are front-and-center, and men are their helpmates.
—Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 22 July 2024
Popular on Variety Nika King portrays the dynamic Donna, who is more force than mere helpmate.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 4 July 2024
Sarah’s love of the British countryside and history, her total dedication to researching narratives and developing textile techniques—and her loyalty—made her Lee McQueen’s ideal helpmate in producing his spectacular feats of fashion theater throughout the 2000s.
—Sarah Mower, Vogue, 30 Sep. 2023
On the face of it, your partner doesn’t seem to have placed a high priority on being your stalwart helpmate.
—Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 4 Apr. 2023
If that’s true, Biden will need an LBJ-style willingness to bully and cajole his party’s caucus along with an FDR-sized resolve to go against the vast power and resources of the industry that has allies on his team and sees him as a pliable helpmate.
—Libby Watson, The New Republic, 21 Aug. 2020
And Guenevere is now a strategic helpmate, periodically outthinking her husband.
—Michael Paulson, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpmate
Noun
-
Trainer led Trump's battleground states strategy in 2020 and joined the first administration as special assistant to the president and director of regional political operations.—
Axios,
Axios,
13 Mar. 2025
-
The 10 individuals initially arrested in September 2017, which included four college assistant coaches, were all relative bit players in the ecosystem.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Hackman, in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's, apparently was unaware that his wife was dead.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Gene – who died from heart disease with Alzheimer's as a significant contributing factor, about one week after his wife Betsy died from hantavirus – had always had a love and interest in movies, admiring James Cagney, Errol Flynn and Edward G. Robinson.—
Elizabeth Stanton,
Fox News,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Netanyahu’s effort to remove Ronen Bar as director of the Shin Bet follows an increasingly acrimonious dispute that also involves the security service’s investigation into close aides of the prime minister.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The strikes Saturday are the result of several high-level White House meetings this week with Trump and top national security aides, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Michael E. Kurilla.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Israel's blockade of aid on Gaza — including electricity — is entering its third week.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
15 Mar. 2025
-
The second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel has not begun, with ceasefire negotiations ongoing in Doha, Qatar, despite a nearly two-week blockade of aid into Gaza.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
After college, Heil auditioned and was accepted into a two-year apprentice program at Ballet Austin in Texas, but when the program ended, he wasn’t hired.—
Marcia Luttrell,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The Tallahassee Ballet, a 50-year-old institution with a professional and youth apprentice program, offers a mix of classic and contemporary ballets during the year.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
At the time, there were an estimated 450 greater adjutant storks left in the region.—
Kyla Mandel,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
-
In the months since fellow senior Legion executives suspended Abrahamson without pay from his statewide adjutant job in April, a number of the roughly 8,000 members in Idaho have called for a change in leadership.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
13 July 2024
Noun
-
Consequently, if work requirements are imposed on nondisabled, working-age Medicaid recipients, that would affect a large number of people who are not currently in compliance, said Kevin Corinth, deputy director at the Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility at the American Enterprise Institute.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
9 Mar. 2025
-
Records showed that Worthy had been arrested Friday by deputies and held in the county jail on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded, or choking in common terms.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
That puts Stuart at the center of the offshoot but also hints that the beloved sidekick, who could never quite catch a break on Big Bang, might not have better luck on his own.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2025
-
His sidekick, point guard Myles Walker, had another terrific game, scoring 15 points.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to helpmate
Cite this Entry
“Helpmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpmate. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share