enabled; enabling
i-ˈnā-b(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to provide with the means or opportunity
training that enables people to earn a living
b
: to make possible, practical, or easy
a deal that would enable passage of a new law
c
: to cause to operate
software that enables the keyboard
2
: to give legal power, capacity, or sanction to
a law enabling admission of a state
Did you know?
Enabling: The Behavior of an Enabler
Enable has a number of senses, most of which are some variant on allowing someone (or something, such as enabling cookies on a computer) to do something. In the past several decades, enable has also started to take on a new associated sense in the field of addiction studies, where enabling is viewed as giving misguided support to a person with some substance-abuse issue. A person who facilitates the self-destructive behavior of another is referred to as an enabler.
Examples of enable in a Sentence
The machine enables us to create copies without losing quality.
The system enables students to access class materials online.
These choices are part of what enabled the company to be successful.
a filing system that enables easy access to information
Be sure to enable your computer's firewall.
Recent Examples on the Web
This solution integrates contact centers with operational systems, enabling both self-service and live agent support across channels like voice, chat, and SMS.
—
Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
That enabled Las Flores to begin the cycle of testing and flushing, which culminated in the determination that the water was safe to drink.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025
Many of the moms invited her to their homes to treat their trees, enabling her to experiment with best practices and correct her mistakes.
—Nicole Sours Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
The Supreme Court gave the Trump administration a big temporary win by enabling its ban on transgender military members to take effect despite a lower court’s ruling.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for enable
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
That enabled Las Flores to begin the cycle of testing and flushing, which culminated in the determination that the water was safe to drink.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025
Many of the moms invited her to their homes to treat their trees, enabling her to experiment with best practices and correct her mistakes.
—Nicole Sours Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
The Supreme Court gave the Trump administration a big temporary win by enabling its ban on transgender military members to take effect despite a lower court’s ruling.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for enable
Cite this Entry
“Enable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enable. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
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