empower

verb

em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r 

empowered; empowering; empowers

transitive verb

1

: to give official authority or legal power to

empowered her attorney to act on her behalf

2

: enable sense 1a

… nootropic agents empower the lower amounts of acetylcholine in diseased brains to work overtime …

—Science News

3

: to promote the self-actualization or influence of

The American women's movement has been inspiring and empowering women for nearly 20 years …

—Ron Hansen

Members of our discipline often envision themselves as agents of social change who try to promote critique of dominant ideologies and empower students to become active participants in the larger political world.

—Christy Friend

Synonyms

• accredit
• authorize
• certify
• charter [British]
• commission
• enable
• invest
• license
• licence
• qualify
• vest
• warrant

Examples of empower in a Sentence

seeking changes in the workplace that will empower women

the federal agency empowered to collect taxes

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to empowering athletes and talent, Thryve partners with brands, which historically have struggled to connect with the right talent to authentically engage their target audiences. —Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

Domestic police forces and the National Guard in some states could be empowered to help federal agents in an extraordinary effort to track down and deport millions of people. —Calvin Woodward, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025

These creators must be empowered and funded to spread the truth, counter lies, and connect with communities already inundated by falsehoods. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025

State auditors are empowered to examine the entirety of a city or agency’s operations, while CPAs focus on financial matters. —Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

empower

verb

em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r 

: to give official authority or legal power to

Legal Definition

empower

transitive verb

em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇-ər 

: to give official authority or legal power to

no branch of government should be empowered unilaterally to impose a serious penalty

—L. H. Tribe