help 1 of 2

1
2
3
4
as in to benefit
to provide with something useful or desirable being independently wealthy certainly helped him during his years as a struggling young artist

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

help

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word help distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of help are ameliorate, better, and improve. While all these words mean "to make more acceptable or to bring nearer a standard," help implies a bettering that still leaves room for improvement.

a coat of paint would help that house

In what contexts can ameliorate take the place of help?

Although the words ameliorate and help have much in common, ameliorate implies making more tolerable or acceptable conditions that are hard to endure.

tried to ameliorate the lives of people in the tenements

How do improve and better relate to one another, in the sense of help?

Both improve and better are general and interchangeable and apply to what can be made better whether it is good or bad.

measures to further improve the quality of medical care
immigrants hoping to better their lot

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of help
Verb
So what does the live show look like without the camera and studio magic that helps hide the puppeteers onscreen? Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2025 Mirrors and Glass For mirrors and glass surfaces, shaving cream can not only get the material clean, but can also help prevent fogging. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
Noun
There are several ways to get help filing your taxes. Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 6 Feb. 2023 That’s when content teams should get some help from AI tools in handling the details. John Hall, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for help
Recent Examples of Synonyms for help
Verb
  • Aleksander Barkov assists on both Reinhart goals to increase his total to 51 on the season.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Doctor Who historians know Marsh for her portrayal of Sara Kingdom, who ably assists William Hartnell’s Doctor in his fight against the mutant Daleks, on the third season of the BBC sci-fi series in 1965-66.
    Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The surfeit of interested workers has not alleviated the labor shortage.
    Emily Witt, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Starting the hiring process doesn’t alleviate their workload in the interim.
    Nolan Hout, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Perhaps more important, though, is doing your best to prevent those flares in the first place.
    Sierra Leone Starks, Allure, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Some states, such as California, New Jersey and Illinois, have sanctuary laws that prevent local jurisdictions from signing 287(g) agreements.
    Julia Ingram, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Meta has argued in court papers that its purchases of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 have benefited users, and that Zuckerberg's past statements are no longer relevant amid fierce competition from ByteDance's TikTok, Google's YouTube and Apple's messaging app.
    Jody Godoy, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • All funds raised will benefit Casa students and enhance programming at Casa de Amistad, according to a news release.
    News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Detailed feedback allows students to improve their writing and critical thinking.
    Jason Phillips, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2025
  • Secondly, the committee has the legal power to determine which vaccines are covered by insurance and other programs that improve affordability and accessibility.
    Pien Huang, NPR, 15 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Document the encounter and seek assistance as soon as possible.
    Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Bentonville police were able to access Hensley's cellphone with the assistance of his family and friends, and a witness provided details regarding fentanyl purchases involving Hill, the affidavit states.
    Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Those who embrace these technologies now will likely find themselves with a considerable advantage in the increasingly competitive digital landscape.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • And Osceola will continue to have homecourt advantage in the Finals against Stockton.
    Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Demetrius Simms Demetrius Simms is a digital staff writer at Robb Report.
    Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Photograph by David Surowiecki In the Reviews and Criticism category, the prize went to a trio of pieces by the former staff writer Parul Sehgal.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Help.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/help. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on help

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!