Helplessness

//ˈhɛlplɪsnɪs// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The state of being helpless. uncountable, usually

    "Near-synonyms: powerlessness, impotence"

  2. 2
    powerlessness revealed by an inability to act wordnet
  3. 3
    A feeling of inadequacy or impotence. uncountable, usually

    "Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile ; he could not tell what this prisoner might do."

  4. 4
    a feeling of being unable to manage wordnet
  5. 5
    the state of needing help from something wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
desertiondesolationdisabilityexposureimpossibilityimpotence

Example

More examples

"We will have to get over the feeling of helplessness."

Etymology

From helpless + -ness.

Related phrases

learned helplessness

More for "helplessness"

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.