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
Late last month, the White House drafted, then paused an executive order that would empower the federal government to sue or withhold funds from any state with any AI regulation.
—Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
Denver Kids is about empowering students, helping them with everything from basic essentials, like a month of groceries, to improving their attendance by identifying their passion in school or a potential job through career exploration field trips.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2025
Women here are strong, empowered and excited about opportunities.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Dec. 2025
Staying in the loop empowers you to make informed decisions regarding outdoor engagements during air quality alerts.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 6 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empower
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Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
Denver Kids is about empowering students, helping them with everything from basic essentials, like a month of groceries, to improving their attendance by identifying their passion in school or a potential job through career exploration field trips.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2025
Women here are strong, empowered and excited about opportunities.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Dec. 2025
Staying in the loop empowers you to make informed decisions regarding outdoor engagements during air quality alerts.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 6 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empower
Cite this Entry
“Empower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empower. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
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
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