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 FriendSynonyms
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
Part of the sale proceeds will go to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to empower children through sports, education, and community outreach.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 23 July 2024
Former Basketball Wives and The Real World star Roman sets out on a mission to empower suspicious lovers to catch their cheating partners in the act.
—Peter White, Deadline, 23 July 2024
Founded by the eponymous singer, the organization seeks to empower communities experiencing poverty in Italy and abroad.
—Hannah Malach, WWD, 22 July 2024
With its June decision overturning the Chevron deference, the court carried this principle further, empowering the letter of congressional law over the interpretations of unelected federal bureaucrats.
—George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 21 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for empower 
Tori Latham, Robb Report, 23 July 2024
Former Basketball Wives and The Real World star Roman sets out on a mission to empower suspicious lovers to catch their cheating partners in the act.
—Peter White, Deadline, 23 July 2024
Founded by the eponymous singer, the organization seeks to empower communities experiencing poverty in Italy and abroad.
—Hannah Malach, WWD, 22 July 2024
With its June decision overturning the Chevron deference, the court carried this principle further, empowering the letter of congressional law over the interpretations of unelected federal bureaucrats.
—George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 21 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for empower
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'empower.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near empower
Cite this Entry
“Empower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empower. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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?
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