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 of empower

• enable

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

Because the contract was less than $500,000, the administration’s procurement division was empowered to enter the contract without permission from county commissioners. — Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026

So as our studio environment continues to change, there must be strategic planning to empower the independent film and television systems. — Stuart Ford, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026

Fernández hoped that seeing the extravagance of a pre-conquest world and hearing the poetic nature of the Nahuatl language helps to empower Latinos to feel pride in and learn more about their culture. — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

Successful manufacturers will focus on solving real business challenges, building the right digital foundation and empowering people to work alongside AI. — Nishkam Batta, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for empower

• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• firepower
• horsepower
• manpower
• mayflower
• safflower
• sunflower
• wallflower
• watchtower
• wildflower

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