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

However, that same confidentiality also empowers terrorists and criminals to conceal their misdeeds—including the systemic abuse of millions of children. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 July 2026

Ultimately, treating location as a strategic data layer empowers businesses across industries to make faster, more informed decisions. — Marianna Kantor, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

The state Constitution empowers the New York City mayor to appoint judges to the city’s Criminal and Family Courts for 10-year terms, and to fill interim vacancies on Civil Court. — Christian Browne, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026

For obesity, a condition that can lead to worse comorbidities like diabetes and heart disease, patients must feel empowered to use every tool at their disposal to help prevent and reverse this disease. — Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 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