helicopter parent

noun

: a parent who is overly involved in the life of his or her child

Examples of helicopter parent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
With James Austin Johnson returning as a free-range Trump and Mike Myers reprising his role as Musk hovering near the president like a wisecracking helicopter parent, the show followed the money. Dennis Romero, NBC News, 9 Mar. 2025 Build determination with these strategies: Give them space to struggle: One of the biggest obstacles to a child's determination is a helicopter parent. Alana Bracken, Parents, 28 Feb. 2025 Characteristics of Benign Neglect Benign neglect is essentially the opposite of being a helicopter parent, explains Boerke. Emily Shiffer, Parents, 17 Dec. 2024 Unlike a helicopter parent, a lighthouse parent allows their kids to make decisions and learn to deal with the consequences of their choices. Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for helicopter parent

Word History

First Known Use

1989, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of helicopter parent was in 1989

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Helicopter parent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helicopter%20parent. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!