as in powerlessness
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Recent Examples of helplessness
Still, John’s look of sheer confusion and helplessness is baffling.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Triggering can cause a host of mental health issues, including flashbacks to one's own trauma, panic attacks and feelings of helplessness, Sarkis previously told USA TODAY.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Anger and helplessness drive some young people to Nick Fuentes, others to Hasan Piker, and others still to fentanyl or 20-hour days of Fortnite.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Cinematographer Ben Goodman straddles the line between both with sharp lensing that places particular emphasis on overhead shots, underlining Caplan’s horizontal helplessness.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
For years, people who lived just outside the urban center of Boca Raton complained to each other about the massive new buildings going up all around Palmetto Park Boulevard and Mizner Park, but these conversations always ended with the same sense of helplessness.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s a level of helplessness that drags up, being surrounded by AI tools and AI updates and AI jobs, only to be faced with an idiot parent or friend or casual acquaintance using AI to justify their shitty actions towards you.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
But Tolstoy showed us the panic and disorientation, the helplessness of the individual in battle.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Watching events unfold in a place that is so emotionally close to you while being physically distant creates a constant sense of helplessness.
—Emily Chan, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Triggering can cause a host of mental health issues, including flashbacks to one's own trauma, panic attacks and feelings of helplessness, Sarkis previously told USA TODAY.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Anger and helplessness drive some young people to Nick Fuentes, others to Hasan Piker, and others still to fentanyl or 20-hour days of Fortnite.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Cinematographer Ben Goodman straddles the line between both with sharp lensing that places particular emphasis on overhead shots, underlining Caplan’s horizontal helplessness.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
For years, people who lived just outside the urban center of Boca Raton complained to each other about the massive new buildings going up all around Palmetto Park Boulevard and Mizner Park, but these conversations always ended with the same sense of helplessness.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s a level of helplessness that drags up, being surrounded by AI tools and AI updates and AI jobs, only to be faced with an idiot parent or friend or casual acquaintance using AI to justify their shitty actions towards you.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
But Tolstoy showed us the panic and disorientation, the helplessness of the individual in battle.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Watching events unfold in a place that is so emotionally close to you while being physically distant creates a constant sense of helplessness.
—Emily Chan, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helplessness
Noun
-
The characters in this novel are forced to live in a neoliberal world where their powerlessness is already predetermined, and they’re ignored by society and told to just keep on living.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps the deepest conflict is not between red and blue, but between power and powerlessness.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And the Food and Drug Administration now evaluates the cybersecurity of new medical devices prior to their arrival to market, and can issue recalls of those found to have significant vulnerabilities.—
Jeffrey Tully,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
To prepare for such contingencies, directors and property managers should identify potential vulnerabilities, know where exits and secure spaces are located, and anticipate how individuals might behave during a conflict.—
Evonne Andris,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Trump opposes the use of universal mail-in balloting because of its susceptibility to fraud, including ballot harvesting and non-citizens voting.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Dimond singled out the secrecy of guardianship and conservatorship systems as central to their susceptibility to fraud and abuse.—
JC Hallman,
Oklahoma Watch,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Helplessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helplessness. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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