unhelpful

adjective

un·​help·​ful ˌən-ˈhelp-fəl How to pronounce unhelpful (audio)
 Southern often  -ˈhep-,
 also  -ˈheəp-
: offering no assistance : not helpful
a rude, unhelpful person
a confusing and unhelpful textbook
unhelpfully adverb
unhelpfulness noun

Examples of unhelpful in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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When the bacterial balance changes in an unhelpful direction, the result could be digestive problems. Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 2 May 2025 Researchers believe psychedelics such as MDMA and psilocybin may interrupt unhelpful neuroimmune signals when anxiety, depression, and conditions occur. Benjamin Adams, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 Sleep trackers can even induce sleep anxiety, an unhelpful obsession with improving sleep that can paradoxically make your sleep worse. Mohana Ravindranath, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025 Deep breathing exercises or other mind-body therapies like meditation can reduce this unhelpful reflex.20 Lying on your side: Lying on your side with your knees bent may ease or prevent kidney stone pain, especially while sleeping. Robert Burakoff, Verywell Health, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unhelpful

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unhelpful was circa 1616

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Cite this Entry

“Unhelpful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unhelpful. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

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