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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George Clooney stars as a handsome war correspondent who comes to cover the Potsdam negotiations, Tobey Maguire plays the sociopathic soldier whose death sparks the plot, and Cate Blanchett plays the Jewish prostitute who both men love in their own unhelpful ways. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025 Unfortunately, this can be unhelpful for personal growth and, in fact, toxic, when certain members are pigeon-holed in a certain way. Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 The confusion over Everton’s managerial situation has been unhelpful given the team’s predicament. Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025 Are they based on facts or assumptions? To turn unhelpful thinking around, ask a question. Dr. Terrie Hope, Forbes, 19 Feb. 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 25 Mar. 2025.

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