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
-
Grimes was a graduate assistant under Lou Holtz from 1981-82.—
Michael Harley,
Arkansas Online,
6 Apr. 2025
-
Donovan was the lead assistant for the Wildcats during a 1993 run to the Final Four.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Bob still drives himself and his wife to the shop every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Some individuals have felt the impact of the disruption in funding too. Jason Frey and his wife live in California and own a condo on Maui.—
Chris Arnold,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Even former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is attracting a challenger — Saikat Chakrabarti, a 39-year-old former aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) — though attempts to primary the Democratic powerhouse have failed over the last few cycles.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2025
-
School board President Sean Harden, who was appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, delayed a vote on a budget amendment last Thursday that would have opened the door for a borrowing scenario to cover both costs proposed by Johnson’s top aides.—
Gregory Royal Pratt,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Rooted in principles of mutual aid, member ownership, and not-for-profit service, credit unions were built to prioritize people over profit.—
Shane Enete,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
The leaders of Egypt, France, and Jordan in a joint call urged Trump to back a Gaza ceasefire, humanitarian aid access, and the release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Sixteen candidates participated in challenges for a $250,000 salary as an apprentice at The Trump Organization.—
Lauren Irwin,
The Hill,
10 Mar. 2025
-
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
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
-
After four of Adams’ top deputies decided to resign, Gov. Kathy Hochul pondered taking the unprecedented step of ousting a New York City mayor.—
Jennifer Peltz and Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2025
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And the European Parliament gives the same amount of money for each deputy to do their jobs through the hiring of a parliamentary aide.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Danny Ramirez Sam Wilson's sidekick takes on Sam's old name, The Falcon, in the most recent Captain America movie.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Prior to The Office, Novak was a comedian, perhaps best known for his time as one of Ashton Kutcher's sidekicks on the prank show Punk'd.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Helpmate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/helpmate. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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