Help — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈhelp/

Meaning & Definition of Help

Help (verb)

  1. to give assistance or support to (someone), to provide (someone) with something that is useful or necessary in achieving an end
  2. to make more pleasant or bearable, improve, relieve
  3. rescue, save

Help (noun)

  1. the act or an instance of doing or supplying something to make it easier for another to complete a task, deal with a problem, etc., aid, assistance
  2. a source of aid
  3. something (as money or advice) given to someone who needs it

Help (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to provide (someone) with what is useful or necessary to achieve an end

    "offered to help her widowed father when he moved into an apartment"

    similar: abet, aid, assist, back, backstop, prop (up), support, bear a hand, to stand one in good stead
    related: advance, ease, facilitate, forward, foster, further, launch, champion, endorse, patronize, promote, sponsor, attend, care (for), comfort, minister (to), succor, sustain, bolster, boost, buttress, reinforce, advise, counsel, guide, mentor, nurture, bail out, deliver, rescue, save, embolden, encourage, hearten, benefit, favor, oblige, profit, serve
    opposite: hinder
    near: balk, bar, block, constrain, hamper, handicap, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, restrain, strangle, baffle, foil, frustrate, inconvenience, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart, desert, disappoint, fail, let down, discourage, dishearten, repress, retard, stifle, straiten, stunt, damage, harm, hurt, injure

  2. to make more bearable or less severe

    "the new ointment didn't help Josh's sunburn one bit"

    similar: allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve, soothe
    related: abate, lighten, moderate, soften, temper, cure, heal, remedy, amend, correct, emend, fix, mend, rectify, reform, repair, ameliorate, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, refine
    opposite: aggravate, exacerbate
    near: harm, hurt, impair, injure, heighten, intensify, sharpen

  3. to keep from happening by taking action in advance

    "they couldn't help the way things turned out"

    similar: avert, forestall, head off, obviate, preclude, prevent, stave off
    related: anticipate, provide, negate, neutralize, nullify, save, baffle, balk, checkmate, deter, foil, frustrate, thwart, bar, block, hamper, hinder, impede, interfere (with), retard, stall, deflect, fend (off), stop, ward (off), avoid, circumvent, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, shake, shirk, shun, forbid, inhibit, prohibit, arrest, check, halt, compensate (for), counteract, counterbalance, make up (for), offset
    near: abet, aid, assist, ease, facilitate, smooth, unclog, advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nurture, promote, allow, leave, let, permit

  4. to provide with something useful or desirable

    "being independently wealthy certainly helped him during his years as a struggling young artist"

    similar: advantage, avail, benefit, profit, serve
    related: succeed, work (for), aid, assist, better, improve, content, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, bless
    near: hinder, impede, damage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, afflict, distress, upset

  5. to make better

    "some minor revisions would help this essay immensely"

    similar: ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, refine, upgrade
    related: correct, emend, rectify, reform, remediate, remedy, edit, fine-tune, redraft, refurbish, rehab, rehabilitate, revamp, revise, rework, beef (up), boost, fortify, intensify, reinforce, strengthen, fine, hone, polish, retouch, touch up
    opposite: worsen
    near: damage, endamage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, spoil, tarnish, vitiate, blemish, blight, deface, disfigure, flaw, mar, diminish, lessen, lower, reduce

Help (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an act or instance of helping

    "I could use your help getting this tire back on the car"

    similar: abetment, aid, assist, assistance, backing, boost, hand, helping hand, leg up, lift, support
    related: advancement, encouragement, facilitation, forwarding, furtherance, furthering, nurturance, benefaction, patronage, promotion, sponsorship, advice, care, counsel, guidance, mentoring, attendance, attention, hand-holding, service, beneficence, charity, favor, kindness, philanthropy, assuagement, palliation, relief, succor
    opposite: hindrance
    near: constraint, frustration, inhibition, interference, obstruction, repression, restraint, deterrence, discouragement

  2. a thing that helps

    "the computer is a great help for writing reports"

    similar: advantage, aid, asset, benefit, boon
    related: hand, lift, pick-me-up, support, sustenance, blessing, godsend, windfall, recourse, refuge, resort, resource
    opposite: disadvantage, drawback, encumbrance, hindrance, impediment, minus
    near: constraint, inhibitor, liability, obstacle, obstruction, restraint, stranglehold

  3. a body of persons at work or available for work

    "it's so hard to get good help these days"

    similar: force, labor force, manpower, personnel, pool, staff, workforce
    related: labor, proletariat, rank and file, band, company, crew, gang, outfit, party, squad, team, employee, helper, hireling, worker, blood, support

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Help

The most common words with a similar meaning to Help:

abet, aid, assist, back, backstop, prop (up), support, allay, alleviate, assuage, ease, mitigate, mollify, palliate, relieve, soothe, avert, forestall, head off, obviate, preclude, prevent, stave off, advantage, avail, benefit, profit, serve, ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, refine, upgrade, bear a hand, to stand one in good stead

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Help

Words with the opposite meaning of Help:

hinder, aggravate, exacerbate, worsen, hindrance, disadvantage, drawback, encumbrance, impediment, minus

Related Words for Help

advance, facilitate, forward, foster, further, launch, champion, endorse, patronize, promote, sponsor, attend, care (for), comfort, minister (to), succor, sustain, bolster, buttress, reinforce, advise, counsel, guide, mentor, nurture, bail out, deliver, rescue, save, embolden

Near Antonyms of Help

balk, bar, block, constrain, hamper, handicap, hold back, impede, inhibit, obstruct, restrain, strangle, baffle, foil, frustrate, inconvenience, interfere, oppose, sabotage, thwart, desert, disappoint, fail, let down, discourage, dishearten, repress, retard, stifle, straiten

Word Forms of Help

Inflections: helped, helping, helps

Origin & Etymology of Help

Middle English, from Old English helpan; akin to Old High German helfan to help, and perhaps to Lithuanian šelpti

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Help

Words & Phrases Containing Help

help desk, Help menu, help screen, help matters, help off/on, help oneself, help out

Frequently Asked Questions about Help

What does "Help" mean?

"Help" means to give assistance or support to (someone), to provide (someone) with something that is useful or necessary in achieving an end. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to give assistance or support to (someone), to provide (someone) with something that is useful or necessary in achieving an end. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Help"?

Other words for "Help" include abet, aid, assist, back, backstop, prop (up), support and allay. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Help" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Help"?

There are 231 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Help". Common alternatives include abet, aid, assist, back, backstop, prop (up), support, allay, alleviate and assuage.

What is the opposite of "Help"?

Antonyms of "Help" include hinder, aggravate, exacerbate, worsen, hindrance, disadvantage, drawback and encumbrance. Near antonyms include balk, bar, block and constrain.

How do you use "Help" in a sentence?

Examples of "Help" in a sentence: "offered to help her widowed father when he moved into an apartment"; "the new ointment didn't help Josh's sunburn one bit"; "they couldn't help the way things turned out".

Is "Help" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Help" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Help" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Help" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Help"?

"Help" is pronounced /ˈhelp/.