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
The first would allow courts in protection from abuse matters and criminal proceedings to order abusers to wear a GPS monitoring device that enables survivors to track their location in real time, even with alerts to law enforcement.
—
Lauren Linder, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
On other podcast apps, creators can enable access to their shows via a private RSS link.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Their purchases free up rental supply and enable move-up buyers, creating a ripple effect and generating roughly $125,300 in local economic activity per home sale.
—Jessica Lautz, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
For team workflows, Live Share enables real-time collaboration without requiring others to fully set up your environment, which can simplify debugging and reviews.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
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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Lauren Linder, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
On other podcast apps, creators can enable access to their shows via a private RSS link.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Their purchases free up rental supply and enable move-up buyers, creating a ripple effect and generating roughly $125,300 in local economic activity per home sale.
—Jessica Lautz, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
For team workflows, Live Share enables real-time collaboration without requiring others to fully set up your environment, which can simplify debugging and reviews.
—Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enable
Cite this Entry
“Enable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enable. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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