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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
They’re packed with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that can help with their development and provide a prolonged and healthy life. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025 Goodall’s research on chimpanzees helped revolutionize how the world viewed primates and humanity. Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 14 July 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
  • Among those assisting are search teams and emergency crews from Mexico, who have joined overwhelmed local responders in searching for the missing and helping clean up devastated communities.
    Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 8 July 2025
  • Some 75% of all global deliveries are now assisted in some way by robots, the company said.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • Shriners Hospitals for Children have also alleviated the financial burden on the Petersons by covering the costs of Hadley's medical procedures, some of which would normally cost tens of thousands of dollars.
    Analisa Novak, CBS News, 14 July 2025
  • And if its alleviating dryness in the air, look no further than Levoit’s humidifier which adds moisture with ease.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • The dispute over the Toledo Strip also forced President Andrew Jackson to act to prevent bloodshed and the loss of a political foothold in the swing state of Ohio.
    David Ubben, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • These slim chargers take up very little room in a bag or purse and have folding prongs to prevent scratches.
    Parker Hall, Wired News, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Wealthy nations and corporations benefit from AI's capabilities while poorer communities disproportionately suffer from its environmental consequences.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
  • Those with lower incomes benefit far less and those same people are in danger of losing their health and nutrition assistance.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • Observe and report to armed security Scott Keller, who in December took on the role of the Plaza’s general manager, said the new ownership group began working to improve security soon after the Plaza was purchased.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2025
  • Ramsay lamented the lack of a clean sheet and cited a few decision-making errors at various points in the contest that need to improve as the Loons continue their evolution, but couldn’t deny the general quality of play from his club.
    Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025
Noun
  • This safety net extends beyond clinical care to include essential social programs — housing assistance, food programs like SNAP and energy assistance — that address the broader determinants of health, many of which face threatening cuts in their own right.
    Jacob Murphy, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2025
  • Because care is about more than physical assistance.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Analysis by German football correspondent Sebastian Stafford-Bloor Tillman has some advantages.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • Yet Crawley carved out her niche not through aggressive marketing spend but through product innovation that photographs well—a crucial advantage in the Instagram economy.
    Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • However, even this approach may require IT skills that small companies don't have on staff.
    Atal Bansal, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • With most news organizations shedding staff, MSNBC is hiring (even if the hiring spree is forced by a corporate split).
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Help.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/help. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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