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

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [U](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/u/) / unhelpful

# unhelpful

adjective

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

## Everyday

Unhelpful means not helping, or making a problem or a situation harder. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unhelpful/#m1)

### In the lessons

In everyday life and school, unhelpful behaviour or comments do not help others; teachers may say «that's unhelpful» about a rude remark. In writing, unhelpful instructions are unclear. Phrases: «unhelpful comment», «not unhelpful», «it is unhelpful to».

### Examples

- Shouting at your partner is unhelpful. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unhelpful/#x1)
- The map was unhelpful because it had no street names. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unhelpful/#x2)
- The shop assistant was unhelpful and rude. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unhelpful/#x3)
- It's unhelpful to laugh when someone makes a mistake. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unhelpful/#x4)
- His unhelpful advice made things worse. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unhelpful/#x5)
- Saying «just do it» was unhelpful. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unhelpful/#x6)

### Note

Adjective; opposite «helpful». Adverb «unhelpfully». Spelt with one l at the end (-ful).

## On Mova

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