empowerment

noun

em·​pow·​er·​ment im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r-mənt 

plural empowerments

1

: the act or action of empowering someone or something : the granting of the power, right, or authority to perform various acts or duties

Malcolm X, the eloquent spokesman for black empowerment who, in 1965, was gunned down at the age of 39 in New York city, continues to influence the political, social, and cultural climate of our society.

—Joe Wood

Therefore, part of the cure for poverty was empowerment—training the residents of a poor neighborhood to organize themselves and learn to get things from the power structure.

—Nicholas Lemann

2

: the state of being empowered to do something : the power, right, or authority to do something

Education does not automatically result in women's empowerment, as the social and economic context in which women live can pose overwhelming constraints on their choices.

—Erin Murphy-Graham

The focus on getting a candidate elected is a way for voters wary of broken promises to gain a sense of empowerment.

—John Dutton

Amid the uproar, he and his fellow students felt a budding—and maybe false—sense of empowerment.

—James Graff

Like John Lennon, he brought the idea that through music, empowerment and words, you can really come up with world peace.

—Wyclef Jean

Synonyms

• accreditation
• authorization
• commission
• delegation
• license
• licence
• mandate

Examples of empowerment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Today, their vision has evolved into a thriving movement that celebrates individuality and embraces golf as a vehicle for self-expression and community empowerment. —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 14 Apr. 2024

These leaders are united by a commitment to empowerment, authenticity, and transformation, driving forward their industries with audacious goals and disruptive strategies. —William Mullane, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

Since then, Ortega has signed a deal with software company Hudl and led conversations about athlete empowerment at events like ESPNW Campus Conversations. —Sam Brock, NBC News, 5 Apr. 2024

Advertisement Company Town For Subscribers Lizzo’s brand was built on empowerment and acceptance. —Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

Additionally, these changes would contribute to women’s empowerment, which has important societal benefits, the study says. —Mira Cheng, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024

Over the course of her career, Graham has been a trailblazer in the fashion industry, serving as an advocate for self-acceptance and female empowerment and leading the conversation on body diversity on the runway, on magazine covers and with brand partnerships. —Angelique Jackson, Variety, 2 Apr. 2024

While the core of its female empowerment message was largely praised, some pointed out the dangers of portraying misogyny as deriving from incompetence rather than malice. —Issy Ronald, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024

But the song’s spirit of empowerment, confidence and freedom have etched an enduring, decades-spanning connection with music fans. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 2