empower

verb

em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce empower (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Projects like Bitcoin Beach demonstrate how a Bitcoin circular economy empowers local communities and underscore how these communities could have a big impact in their own countries. Javier Bastardo, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 Rather than eliminating entry-level jobs, organizations should reimagine them for a new era—where early-career professionals are empowered to work alongside AI, learning higher-order skills instead of just routine tasks. Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025 Jackets for Jobs' mission on its own is to empower people seeking jobs by giving away free business attire, so joining this initiative just made sense, Vaughn said. Emma George-Griffin, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025 This decision reflects a broader reluctance to empower oversight even in the face of rising public demand for transparency and accountability. Hansel Alejandro Aguilar, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for empower

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of empower was in 1648

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Cite this Entry

“Empower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empower. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

empower

verb
em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce empower (audio)
: to give official authority or legal power to

Legal Definition

empower

transitive verb
em·​pow·​er im-ˈpau̇-ər How to pronounce empower (audio)
: to give official authority or legal power to
no branch of government should be empowered unilaterally to impose a serious penaltyL. H. Tribe

More from Merriam-Webster on empower

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