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

To transform live sports ticketing for the better, her proposal addresses several key areas: Lowering fees, empowering fans, improving their experience and increasing competition. —Robert Herrell, The Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2024

There are a lot of practitioners who do not necessarily believe that women ought to be empowered to make decisions. —Glamour, 26 Apr. 2024

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