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Definition of helpless adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

helpless

adjective
 
/ˈhelpləs/
 
/ˈhelpləs/
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  1. unable to take care of yourself or do things without the help of other people
    • Children are the most helpless victims of war.
    • a helpless gesture/look
    • He lay helpless on the floor.
    • It's natural to feel helpless against such abuse.
    • The worst part is being helpless to change anything.
    Extra Examples
    • He was left helpless and alone.
    • I felt helpless in the face of all these rules and regulations.
    • John felt completely helpless.
    • Kirk stood helpless before this giant of a man.
    • She was helpless against the strength of the wind.
    • Paul threw up his hands in a helpless gesture of surrender.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • feel
    adverb
    • absolutely
    • completely
    • quite
    preposition
    • against
    • before
    • in the face of
    See full entry
  2. unable to control a strong feeling
    • helpless panic/rage
    • helpless with something The audience was helpless with laughter.
    Extra Examples
    • I was helpless with anger.
    • He was rendered helpless by panic.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • feel
    adverb
    • absolutely
    • completely
    • quite
    preposition
    • against
    • before
    • in the face of
    See full entry
See helpless in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee helpless in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
hopefully
adverb
 
 
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