1
as in assistant
a person who helps a more skilled person
after several years as a photographer's helpmate, the young man decided to pursue his own ambitions in commercial photography
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2
as in wife
a female partner in a marriage
the man and his helpmate of 50 years decided that it was high time they took a trip around the world together
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Recent Examples of helpmate
The sheltering animals become a makeshift community of helpmates, but marauders onshore, and in the air, abound.
—
Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024
Catilina actually is a sci-fi hero, a collection of stereotypes about radical brilliance — brooding, brash, impatient, and masculine (the women in Megalopolis are cast as supportive helpmates or scheming bitches) — whose world-saving project is a blank space the movie can’t actually envision.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
Finally, Harris-Biden 2024 could open the door to a new era of political stagecraft where women are front-and-center, and men are their helpmates.
—Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 22 July 2024
Popular on Variety Nika King portrays the dynamic Donna, who is more force than mere helpmate.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 4 July 2024
Sarah’s love of the British countryside and history, her total dedication to researching narratives and developing textile techniques—and her loyalty—made her Lee McQueen’s ideal helpmate in producing his spectacular feats of fashion theater throughout the 2000s.
—Sarah Mower, Vogue, 30 Sep. 2023
On the face of it, your partner doesn’t seem to have placed a high priority on being your stalwart helpmate.
—Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 4 Apr. 2023
If that’s true, Biden will need an LBJ-style willingness to bully and cajole his party’s caucus along with an FDR-sized resolve to go against the vast power and resources of the industry that has allies on his team and sees him as a pliable helpmate.
—Libby Watson, The New Republic, 21 Aug. 2020
And Guenevere is now a strategic helpmate, periodically outthinking her husband.
—Michael Paulson, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023
Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Nov. 2024
Catilina actually is a sci-fi hero, a collection of stereotypes about radical brilliance — brooding, brash, impatient, and masculine (the women in Megalopolis are cast as supportive helpmates or scheming bitches) — whose world-saving project is a blank space the movie can’t actually envision.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
Finally, Harris-Biden 2024 could open the door to a new era of political stagecraft where women are front-and-center, and men are their helpmates.
—Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 22 July 2024
Popular on Variety Nika King portrays the dynamic Donna, who is more force than mere helpmate.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 4 July 2024
Sarah’s love of the British countryside and history, her total dedication to researching narratives and developing textile techniques—and her loyalty—made her Lee McQueen’s ideal helpmate in producing his spectacular feats of fashion theater throughout the 2000s.
—Sarah Mower, Vogue, 30 Sep. 2023
On the face of it, your partner doesn’t seem to have placed a high priority on being your stalwart helpmate.
—Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 4 Apr. 2023
If that’s true, Biden will need an LBJ-style willingness to bully and cajole his party’s caucus along with an FDR-sized resolve to go against the vast power and resources of the industry that has allies on his team and sees him as a pliable helpmate.
—Libby Watson, The New Republic, 21 Aug. 2020
And Guenevere is now a strategic helpmate, periodically outthinking her husband.
—Michael Paulson, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for helpmate
Noun
-
Trainer led Trump's battleground states strategy in 2020 and joined the first administration as special assistant to the president and director of regional political operations.—
Axios,
Axios,
13 Mar. 2025
-
The 10 individuals initially arrested in September 2017, which included four college assistant coaches, were all relative bit players in the ecosystem.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
As the story begins, James goes missing, and his wife, Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), begs John to help find him—by impersonating him.—
Sarah Larson,
The New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Everyone thought my mom was a saint for being my dad's wife, for taking care of not just him but our entire household.—
Malaka Gharib,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Netanyahu’s effort to remove Ronen Bar as director of the Shin Bet follows an increasingly acrimonious dispute that also involves the security service’s investigation into close aides of the prime minister.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The strikes Saturday are the result of several high-level White House meetings this week with Trump and top national security aides, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Michael E. Kurilla.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Israel's blockade of aid on Gaza — including electricity — is entering its third week.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Fernandez, with Raja’s aid, set up the neighborhood meeting Wednesday to discuss the city’s traffic-calming work.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
After college, Heil auditioned and was accepted into a two-year apprentice program at Ballet Austin in Texas, but when the program ended, he wasn’t hired.—
Marcia Luttrell,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2025
-
The Tallahassee Ballet, a 50-year-old institution with a professional and youth apprentice program, offers a mix of classic and contemporary ballets during the year.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
At the time, there were an estimated 450 greater adjutant storks left in the region.—
Kyla Mandel,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
-
In the months since fellow senior Legion executives suspended Abrahamson without pay from his statewide adjutant job in April, a number of the roughly 8,000 members in Idaho have called for a change in leadership.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
13 July 2024
Noun
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During that period, his brother was hired into what appears to have been his first federal job—deputy director of the Office of Secretarial Boards and Councils at the Department of Energy.—
David W. Brown,
The New Yorker,
21 Mar. 2025
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Also in the power hallway is Beau Harrison, deputy chief of staff for operations.—
Jennifer Jacobs,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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That puts Stuart at the center of the offshoot but also hints that the beloved sidekick, who could never quite catch a break on Big Bang, might not have better luck on his own.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2025
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He's got a little sidekick over there named Mark Paoletta who is one of the people in the portrait with Harlan Crow and Leonard Leo and Clarence Thomas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to helpmate
Cite this Entry
“Helpmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpmate. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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