helmed; helming; helms
1
: to direct (a ship) with a lever or wheel that controls the rudder : to direct (a ship) with or as if with a helm (see helm entry 1 sense 1a) : steer
helming a schooner
Synonyms
Examples of helm in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 2 May 2024
Following the liberation of Paris, French designers took back the helms of fashion and steered the decade in a new direction.
—Vogue, 19 Apr. 2024
Strange New Worlds is based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Politics in Brief Congress: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will step down from the helm of the Republican Conference this year, ending his time as the longest-serving leader in Senate history.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
The private equity business recently underwent a leadership change, with Scott Shleifer transitioning to an advisor role in November and founder Chase Coleman retaking the helm.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
As standard, the boat features a central helm with two seats, a forward storage compartment, a large aft bathing platform with a sun pad, and a hardtop for protection from the elements.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
McConnell's retirement from leadership marks the end of the longest-serving leadership term in Senate history, after 17 years at the party's helm.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024
No prominent Democrats have demanded that Biden bow out, but as speculation mounts about his ability to serve, there is bound to be interest in who among them could take the party's helm.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024
Freya Drohan, Vogue, 3 May 2024
Paramount, controlled by Shari Redstone , and Skydance, helmed by film producer David Ellison, have been trying to hammer out a complicated deal that would leave Ellison in control of the storied media giant.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
The album was created with producer John Hill, who helmed the Kentucky band’s last studio album, Social Cues (2019), in sessions that took place across El Paso, New York City, Nashville, and Los Angeles.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2024
Since high-fashion brands are often helmed by designers with multidisciplinary approaches, this could lend sports figures an air of up-to-the-minute exclusivity that many find compelling.
—Essence, 2 May 2024
On the West Coast, Interscope Capital Labels Group is helmed by John Janick, previously the chairman/CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 2 May 2024
Rory Collins helms one of the world’s biggest efforts to address this challenge: UK Biobank, a trove of health data for half a million people over time, including questionnaires, blood samples, and imaging of the heart, brain, and entire body.
—TIME, 2 May 2024
To make the love story believable for the Peacock audience, the decision was made to allow director Shalom-Ezer to helm every episode to sustain a consistent vision and look, however draining that was emotionally and physically.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 May 2024
Director Takashi Katagiri, who also helmed the show’s second season, takes a farcical approach to this unserious plot set against a deathly serious backdrop.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024
Noun
At the company’s helm is Marc Puig, who belongs to the founding family’s third generation.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 2 May 2024
Following the liberation of Paris, French designers took back the helms of fashion and steered the decade in a new direction.
—Vogue, 19 Apr. 2024
Strange New Worlds is based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Politics in Brief Congress: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will step down from the helm of the Republican Conference this year, ending his time as the longest-serving leader in Senate history.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024
The private equity business recently underwent a leadership change, with Scott Shleifer transitioning to an advisor role in November and founder Chase Coleman retaking the helm.
—Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
As standard, the boat features a central helm with two seats, a forward storage compartment, a large aft bathing platform with a sun pad, and a hardtop for protection from the elements.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024
McConnell's retirement from leadership marks the end of the longest-serving leadership term in Senate history, after 17 years at the party's helm.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024
No prominent Democrats have demanded that Biden bow out, but as speculation mounts about his ability to serve, there is bound to be interest in who among them could take the party's helm.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024
Verb
The black tie affair was helmed by King’s Trust Global Ambassadors Lionel Richie and Edward Enninful OBE, who mined their respective rolodexes to curate a guestlist magnanimous enough to shine a light on the important global philanthropic work of the Trust.
—Freya Drohan, Vogue, 3 May 2024
Paramount, controlled by Shari Redstone , and Skydance, helmed by film producer David Ellison, have been trying to hammer out a complicated deal that would leave Ellison in control of the storied media giant.
—Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
The album was created with producer John Hill, who helmed the Kentucky band’s last studio album, Social Cues (2019), in sessions that took place across El Paso, New York City, Nashville, and Los Angeles.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2024
Since high-fashion brands are often helmed by designers with multidisciplinary approaches, this could lend sports figures an air of up-to-the-minute exclusivity that many find compelling.
—Essence, 2 May 2024
On the West Coast, Interscope Capital Labels Group is helmed by John Janick, previously the chairman/CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M.
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 2 May 2024
Rory Collins helms one of the world’s biggest efforts to address this challenge: UK Biobank, a trove of health data for half a million people over time, including questionnaires, blood samples, and imaging of the heart, brain, and entire body.
—TIME, 2 May 2024
To make the love story believable for the Peacock audience, the decision was made to allow director Shalom-Ezer to helm every episode to sustain a consistent vision and look, however draining that was emotionally and physically.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 May 2024
Director Takashi Katagiri, who also helmed the show’s second season, takes a farcical approach to this unserious plot set against a deathly serious backdrop.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'helm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near helm
Cite this Entry
“Helm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helm. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
helm
1 of 2 nounhelm
2 of 2 noun1
: a lever or wheel controlling the rudder of a ship
also
: the steering equipment of a ship
2
: a position of control : head
at the helm of the business
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share