helpful

[help-fuhl] / ˈhɛlp fəl /

ADJECTIVE

beneficial, beneficent

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accessible advantageous applicable conducive constructive convenient cooperative crucial essential favorable friendly important invaluable practical productive profitable significant suitable supportive sympathetic timely useful valuable

WEAK

accommodating benevolent bettering caring considerate contributive effectual efficacious fortunate good for improving instrumental kind neighborly operative pragmatic serendipitous serviceable symbiotic usable utilitarian

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cold cool disagreeable hindering hurting inappropriate inessential injurious inopportune insignificant minor nonessential trivial unfavorable unfriendly unhelpful unimportant unsociable unsuitable useless worthless

WEAK

disadvantageous harmful hurtful unconstructive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She likes two things that were helpful in starting a business: running operations and the science of baking.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

Though not practically helpful, it was a sweet attempt at making me more comfortable.

From Slate • May 23, 2026

On one hand, the automatic demand is helpful.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

"Early detection was very helpful and I am so grateful to be able to say that I am well today," she added in the film's promotional material.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

“What kind of helpful information would be in books about a wannabe Chosen One who clams up when it’s time to stop the bad guy?”

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

Vocabulary lists containing helpful

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