[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/helplessly/)

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# helplessly

adverb

«helplessly» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Without being able to help yourself or do anything about a situation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#m1)
2. Without being able to stop, as in «laughed helplessly». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#m2)

### In the lessons

Common in stories: a character watches helplessly as something goes wrong, or laughs helplessly at a joke. It shows that someone has no power in a moment, which builds tension or sympathy.

### Examples

- We watched helplessly as the balloon floated away. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#x1)
- The kitten mewed helplessly at the top of the tree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#x2)
- Toad struggled helplessly in the water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#x3)
- The children laughed helplessly at the clown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#x4)
- Alice cried helplessly in the Pool of Tears. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#x5)
- The boat drifted helplessly towards the weir. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#x6)
- “I can’t either,” cried Pinocchio; and his laughter turned to tears as he stumbled about helplessly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/#x7)

### Note

Adverb from «helpless» (help + less = without help). Noun: helplessness. «Laughed helplessly» means could not stop laughing, not that they were sad.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «helplessly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/helplessly/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«helplessly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/helplessly.html) on Mova free.