helpline

noun

help·​line ˈhelp-ˌlīn How to pronounce helpline (audio)
 Southern often  ˈhep-,
 also  ˈheəp-
variants or less commonly help line
plural helplines also help lines
: a phone service providing help or assistance: such as
a
: a telephone service that is usually available to the public and that provides advice, support, resources, etc. for some specific purpose (such as crisis intervention)
a free/confidential/24-hour helpline
He's also a peer support specialist for DeQH, a helpline for South Asian LGBTQ people.Rose Brennan
Calls to state addiction help lines have risen, as have alcohol use, drug overdoses and relapse rates, experts have said.Steve Janoski
helpline volunteers offer support and basic information, locate treatment options in your area, and can help you find answers to any questions you may have.Radhika Menon
b
: a customer service line to provide support (such as technical support) for a product, service, etc.
Before making your purchase, phone the software vendor's customer helpline to make sure customer representatives are knowledgeable.Eric Berg
A user's guide, software documentation, and telephone helpline are included.Carol Tenopir
All week, Mata and other staffers have spent hours calling help lines set up by drug plan providers, only to get constant busy signals.Nicole Foy

Examples of helpline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
State health officials activated community crisis centers and helplines, while mobile mental health teams were dispatched from Tennessee to help those impacted by the disaster. Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, The Conversation, 13 July 2025 Additional resources are available through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988 mobile helpline, the mayor's office said. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 July 2025 In addition, the foundation has now launched a programme to help train teachers to support affected children in schools and is developing a telephone helpline and online services to support families directly. Steve Madeley, New York Times, 11 July 2025 More advanced tiers have dedicated support options and helplines that aren't available with Teams Essentials, however. PC Magazine, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for helpline

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of helpline was in 1965

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Helpline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helpline. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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