Meaning & Definition of word "Unhelpful"
to
Unhelpful
/ʌnˈhɛlpfəl/
adjective:
- 1. Not providing assistance or support; not helpful.
- Example: His advice was unhelpful and didn't address the problem at all.
- 2. Causing more confusion or difficulty rather than resolving issues.
- Example: The instructions for assembling the furniture were unhelpful and led to more mistakes.
- 3. Lacking in usefulness or value in a given context.
- Example: The unhelpful feedback from my peers made it difficult to improve my project.
- 4. Failing to serve a useful purpose.
- Example: The unhelpful comments during the meeting wasted everyone's time.
Etymology
The prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' combined with 'helpful', originating from the Middle English 'helpful'
Common Phrases and Expressions
not helpful at all:
completely without assistance or value
barking up the wrong tree:
pursuing the wrong course of action
a dead end:
a situation that offers no hope of progress
Related Words
help:
to provide assistance or support
assistance:
the action of helping someone with a task
supportive:
providing encouragement or support
Slang Meanings of unhelpful
Meaning: a waste of time
Example Sentence: That meeting was a total waste of time; it was completely unhelpful.
Meaning: fluff
Example Sentence: All that talk was just fluff; it didn’t contribute anything useful.