empower
verb
em·pow·er
im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r 
empowered; empowering; empowers
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
Science News3
: 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
Ron HansenMembers 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
Christy FriendExamples 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
With the brilliant wit and warmth of Astrid Lindgren’s voice as our guide, our aim is to ensure Pippi remains a joyful, empowering icon for today’s children.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 June 2026
These programs match small-dollar contributions with public money — empowering communities to not only compete for office but also to build power and win.
—Matt Martin, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Through its partnership with the IOC, Deloitte is helping empower the Olympic and Paralympic Games to endure and evolve by creating a system that can be customized for each Games edition, driving efficiency, reusability, continuous learning, and improvement.
—Mark Price, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Projecting its own victory, the Iranian regime empowered a hardline leadership, fired missiles and drones at its neighbors, rejected temporary ceasefires, and doubled down on its right to a nuclear program.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for empower
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Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 June 2026
These programs match small-dollar contributions with public money — empowering communities to not only compete for office but also to build power and win.
—Matt Martin, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
Through its partnership with the IOC, Deloitte is helping empower the Olympic and Paralympic Games to endure and evolve by creating a system that can be customized for each Games edition, driving efficiency, reusability, continuous learning, and improvement.
—Mark Price, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Projecting its own victory, the Iranian regime empowered a hardline leadership, fired missiles and drones at its neighbors, rejected temporary ceasefires, and doubled down on its right to a nuclear program.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for empower
Cite this Entry
“Empower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empower. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
L. H. TribeLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
