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  1. Home /
  2. Dictionaries /
  3. English Dictionary /
  4. be helpful

be helpful

/biː ˈhɛlpfl/
provide assistance

She was always willing to be helpful to her colleagues.

She often assisted her colleagues when needed.


general

To provide assistance or support to someone in need.

Can you be helpful and explain this concept to me?

Can you assist me by explaining this concept?

Being helpful in the community is important.

Providing assistance to the community is valuable.

This phrase is commonly used to describe actions that aid others.

Collocations

be helpful toprovide assistance tobe helpful withassist in a specific task

Synonyms

be usefulbe of assistancelend a hand

Antonyms

be unhelpfulignoreneglect

Related Phrases

lend a handphrase
to help someone
give a handphrase
to assist someone

Pro Tip

Politeness

Using 'be helpful' is a polite way to ask for assistance.

Gold Rule

Contextual Use

Use 'be helpful' when you want to emphasize the positive nature of providing assistance.

Word Origin

Derived from the verb 'help' (Old English 'helpan') combined with the adjective 'helpful' (Middle English 'helpful').

Usage Notes

This phrase is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe actions that provide aid or support.

Word Breakdown

be
to exist or act in a certain way
verb
+
helpful
providing assistance or support
adjective
English Dictionary
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