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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

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help

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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
Pro tip: For an extra secure statement, an over-the-top dusting of loose powder can help to ensure your pout stays precise—even in severely damp conditions. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2025 Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Films has, obviously, helped popularize the appeal of scare-mongering movies. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Jan. 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
  • According to the Chambers County Sheriff's Office, Cauthen stopped to assist a couple after their car hit a deer on County Road 267 in the Stroud community.
    Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Volunteers fanned out across the metro to pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with many showing up at Harvesters to pack food, while members of the Church of the Resurrection volunteered at 20 local organizations to lend a hand to those in need or support organizations that assist others.
    Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • These WMAs are comprised of cropland, forest, lake and wetlands that serve to provide refuge for geese that may help alleviate the effects of hunting.
    GrrlScientist, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
  • With no viable options for a second scorer to take the load off of Curry, getting either Vucevic or Turner will help alleviate the scoring burden and with lineup versatility.
    Jannelle Moore, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Fortunately, altitude sickness can be prevented or minimized if your body gradually adjusts to the shift in air pressure and oxygen.
    Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 24 Jan. 2025
  • In the penultimate episode of the series, Charlotte put a target on Freddie Fraser’s back by not telling him Leanne Quigley had a shield that would prevent the traitors from murdering her.
    Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Solana, down 9%, led the losses following a 14% rally over the weekend, benefitting from the Trump meme coin being launched on the popular Ethereum alternative network.
    Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Since 2003, following the enactment of Law 814, Colombia has also benefited from a film development fund, managed by Proimágenes Colombia, led by Claudia Triana.
    Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Should the lab leak theory be dismissed, trust between the two countries might actually improve, as tensions between them ease.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 26 Jan. 2025
  • So far, the overall box office is improving on 2024 with ticket sales up 10.9% from the same point a year ago, according to Comscore.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 26 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • That means not just Calais Campbell, Chubb and Phillips’ assistance in the Penn State product’s game but also the likes of Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead.
    C. Isaiah Smalls II, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2025
  • By law, applications for HEAP assistance open each year in early November, and remain open until the funds run out.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • There’s also no question that KC has the advantage at kicker, with Harrison Butker being the much more reliable option compared to someone who just missed a huge field goal against the Chiefs last season.
    Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Carolina has this cap flexibility advantage because it’s been ruthless over the years about letting non-star UFAs walk.
    Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • School officials confirmed that an incident outside Carver Vocational-Technical High School on Thursday afternoon sent students and a staff member to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
    Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Despite documentation of such conditions, state social service administrators and nursing home staff long have maintained that children with medical complexities are far better off in facilities than with family, and that parents are inherently less capable of being caregivers.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near help

Cite this Entry

“Help.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/help. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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