help

1 of 2

verb

ˈhelp 

 Southern often  ˈhep,

 also  ˈheəp

helped; helping; helps

transitive verb

1

: to give assistance or support to (someone) : to provide (someone) with something that is useful or necessary in achieving an end

How can I help you?

He helps the children with their homework.

Can you help me get this jar open?

She helped him (walk) up/down the stairs.

2

a

: to make more pleasant or bearable : improve, relieve

bright curtains will help the room

took an aspirin to help her headache

b

archaic : rescue, save

Help us from famine / And plague and strife!

—Alfred Tennyson

3

a

: to be of use to : benefit

will do anything to help their cause

b

: to further the advancement of : promote

could help negotiations

4

a

: to change for the better

b

: to refrain from : avoid

we couldn't help laughing

c

: to keep from occurring : prevent

they couldn't help the accident

d

: to restrain (oneself) from doing something

knew they shouldn't go but couldn't help themselves

5

: to serve with food or drink especially at a meal

told the guests to help themselves

6

: to take something for (oneself) without permission

helped himself to the car keys

intransitive verb

1

: to give assistance or support

—often used with out

helps out with the housework

2

: to be of use or benefit

every little bit helps

see also helping hand, helping verb

help

2 of 2

noun

plural helps

1

: the act or an instance of doing or supplying something to make it easier for another to complete a task, deal with a problem, etc. : aid, assistance

I could use some help with the dishes.

We heard cries for help coming from the house.

We couldn't have done this without your help.

I'm glad I could be of help. [=I'm glad I could help.]

see also self-help

2

: a source of aid

She is a help to our efforts.

You've been a great help to us.

The instructions were no help (at all).

He's been more of a hindrance than a help.

Turner … and Mackinley … are big helps with their younger siblings.

—Julia Lipscombe

see also help desk, help menu, help screen

3

: remedy, relief

The situation is beyond help.

(somewhat old-fashioned) There was no help for it. I was obliged to tell him the truth.

—Wilkie Collins

4

plural usually help

a

: employee

help wanted

—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

Most of the restaurant's summer help is/are college students.

b

often offensive : a domestic worker

—usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

Phrases

so help me

: upon my word : believe it or not

Synonyms

Verb

• abet
• aid
• assist
• back
• backstop
• prop (up)
• support

Noun

• abetment
• aid
• assist
• assistance
• backing
• boost
• hand
• helping hand
• leg up
• lift
• support

Choose the Right Synonym for help

improve, better, help, ameliorate mean to make more acceptable or to bring nearer a standard.

improve and better are general and interchangeable and apply to what can be made better whether it is good or bad.

measures to further improve the quality of medical care

immigrants hoping to better their lot

help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement.

a coat of paint would help that house

ameliorate implies making more tolerable or acceptable conditions that are hard to endure.

tried to ameliorate the lives of people in the tenements

Examples of help in a Sentence

Verb

Don't blame me: I was only trying to help!

Help! Somebody call the police!

She took an aspirin to help her headache.

Humor often helps a tense situation.

It's not much money, but every little bit helps.

Noun

He thanked us for our help.

I could use some help with the dishes.

We could hear shouts for help coming from the house.

He's been more of a hindrance than a help.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The premium tax credit is a refundable credit that helps eligible individuals and families cover the premiums for their ACA health insurance. —Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024

He was so well regarded after helping Canada dodge the worst of the global economic crisis that the U.K. named him the first foreigner to serve as governor of the Bank of England since it was founded in 1694. —Rob Gillies, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024

Noun

But in the meantime, those who know her are left to ponder an illness that appears to have consumed the caring mother, in spite of her efforts to get help. —Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Feb. 2023

Police departments in Carroll County could get help from the state with funding the high cost of outfitting officers with body cameras, if a bill introduced in the Maryland General Assembly is passed. —Sherry Greenfield, Baltimore Sun, 12 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Old English helpan; akin to Old High German helfan to help, and perhaps to Lithuanian šelpti

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing help

• beyond help
• cannot help
• cannot help but
• cannot help oneself
• God/Lord/heaven help (someone)
• help desk
• help line
• help matters
• help menu
• help off/on
• help oneself
• help out
• help screen
• help wanted
• home help
• no help for it
• of help
• self-help

Kids Definition

help

1 of 2 verb

ˈhelp 

1

: to provide with what is useful in achieving an end : aid, assist

helped me get a job

2

: remedy entry 2, relieve

rest helps a cold

3

a

: to keep from

couldn't help laughing

b

: prevent sense 1

it couldn't be helped

4

: to serve with food or drink

help yourself

help

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of helping : aid, assistance

give help

thanked us for our help

2

: the state of being helped : relief

a situation beyond help

3

: a person or a thing that helps

a help in time of trouble

4

: a hired helper or a body of hired helpers

hire new help