empower

verb

em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce empower (audio)
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

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
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.
These tasks are specific, actionable, and designed to be motivating, empowering patients to take control of their well-being. Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024 So, trust the vision, empower your team and remember that transforming an organization is a marathon, not a sprint. Parna Sarkar-Basu, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024 The opening of formal proceedings Tuesday empowers the Commission to take further enforcement steps and to accept commitments made by TikTok. Reuters, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024 In 2019, the peoples of both Iraq and Lebanon rose up in movements with two central demands: to end the sectarian power-sharing system that empowered the Axis militias in these countries, and to build effective public services. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for empower 

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of empower was in 1648

Dictionary Entries Near empower

Cite this Entry

“Empower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empower. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

empower

verb
em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce empower (audio)
: to give official authority or legal power to

Legal Definition

empower

transitive verb
em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇-ər How to pronounce empower (audio)
: to give official authority or legal power to
no branch of government should be empowered unilaterally to impose a serious penaltyL. H. Tribe

More from Merriam-Webster on empower

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