adjective
- unable to help oneself; weak or dependent: a helpless invalid.
- deprived of strength or power; powerless; incapacitated: They were helpless with laughter.
- affording no help.
adjective
- unable to manage independently
- made powerless or weakthey were helpless from so much giggling
- without help
“unable to act for oneself,” c.1200, from help (n.) + -less. Related: Helplessly; helplessness. In Middle English and later sometimes also “unable to give help, affording no help” (late 14c.), but this was never common.