helpline

noun

help·​line ˈhelp-ˌlīn 

 Southern often  ˈhep-,

 also  ˈheəp-

variants or less commonly help line

plural helplines also help lines

: a phone service providing help or assistance: such as

a

: a telephone service that is usually available to the public and that provides advice, support, resources, etc. for some specific purpose (such as crisis intervention)

a free/confidential/24-hour helpline

He's also a peer support specialist for DeQH, a helpline for South Asian LGBTQ people.

—Rose Brennan

Calls to state addiction help lines have risen, as have alcohol use, drug overdoses and relapse rates, experts have said.

—Steve Janoski

… helpline volunteers offer support and basic information, locate treatment options in your area, and can help you find answers to any questions you may have.

—Radhika Menon

b

: a customer service line to provide support (such as technical support) for a product, service, etc.

Before making your purchase, phone the software vendor's customer helpline to make sure customer representatives are knowledgeable.

—Eric Berg

A user's guide, software documentation, and telephone helpline are included.

—Carol Tenopir

All week, Mata and other staffers have spent hours calling help lines set up by drug plan providers, only to get constant busy signals.

—Nicole Foy

Examples of helpline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One downside is when incorrect information could be dangerous: an eating disorder helpline or legal advice for small businesses, for example. —Casey Fiesler, Discover Magazine, 24 May 2024

Passengers with disabilities or medical conditions can call the TSA Cares helpline toll-free at 855-787-2227 with any questions. —Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 24 May 2024

The vast majority, however, were interested in new tools to document incidents and access resources and helplines. —Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024

Legislation establishing a permanent funding source for the state’s 988 crisis helpline system is awaiting Gov. Wes Moore’s signature. —Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2024

Panicked about how the delay would impact his financial aid packages from potential schools, Hernandez-Alvarado called the FAFSA helpline only to be left on hold for hours at a time. —Molly Gibbs, The Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2024

Although Angela was able to work with FAFSA helpline representatives to verify her mother’s account, another FAFSA error involving miscalculations in financial need data sent to schools had to be corrected. —Molly Gibbs, The Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2024

For eating disorders: The National Eating Disorders Association runs a helpline offering support, resources and treatment options. —Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 16 Apr. 2024

The health system also operates a confidential 24/7 call line at [phone] and a text helpline at [phone]. —Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above