1. The state of needing help from something
   "She felt a sense of helplessness when faced with the complex legal documents"
    
2. A feeling of being unable to manage
   "A sense of helplessness overcame her as she faced the mounting bills"
    
3. Powerlessness revealed by an inability to act
   "in spite of their helplessness the group remains active";
   - weakness, impuissance

Type of: dependance [non-standard], dependence, dependency, depression, impotence, impotency, powerlessness

Encyclopedia: Helplessness, learned