enable

play

verb en·able \ i-ˈnā-bəl \

Definition of enable

enabled; enabling play \i-ˈnā-b(ə-)liŋ\

transitive verb

1 a :to provide with the means or opportunity

training that enables people to earn a living

b :to make possible, practical, or easy

a deal that would enable passage of a new law

c :to cause to operate

software that enables the keyboard

2 :to give legal power, capacity, or sanction to

a law enabling admission of a state

See enable defined for English-language learners

See enable defined for kids

Examples of enable in a Sentence

The machine enables us to create copies without losing quality.
The system enables students to access class materials online.
These choices are part of what enabled the company to be successful.
a filing system that enables easy access to information
Be sure to enable your computer's firewall.

Recent Examples of enable from the Web

After the Islamic State group’s swift territorial grabs in Iraq in 2014, the militants controlled large areas between Trebil and Baghdad, enabling them to impose taxes on cargo trucks driving through their territories.

— karin laub, The Seattle Times, "Jordan, Iraq reopen border crossing, vital to trade," 30 Aug. 2017
This man enabled the rape of dozens of women, destroying many lives.

— stefan stevenson, star-telegram, "Art Briles’ new coaching job brings immediate scorn," 28 Aug. 2017
The company, along with coal supplier Murray Energy, had asked the Energy Department to issue an emergency order that would enable its plants to keep operating.

— catherine traywick, Bloomberg.com, "U.S. Lays Groundwork for Saving Coal Plants With Grid Report," 24 Aug. 2017
The Panama Papers: Victims of offshore Behind the email chains, invoices and documents that make up the Panama Papers are often unseen victims of wrongdoing enabled by the shadowy offshore industry.

— nicholas nehamas and rene rodriguez, miamiherald, "Feds widen hunt for dirty money in Miami real estate," 23 Aug. 2017
This would enable hysteria to subside, and establish the president as the leader of civilized discourse and not, as his enemies, including those in his own party, have claimed, a threat to it.

— conrad black, National Review, "Reviling Trump," 22 Aug. 2017
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video WATCH Donald Trump Thinks Donald Trump Is the Man Caption Settings DialogBeginning of dialog window.

— nell scovell, vanityfair.com, "Why Trump’s Decision to Skip the Kennedy Center Honors Hurts America," 21 Aug. 2017
Lenders and regulators were eager to enable such outsize borrowing, while economists dutifully provided elaborate rationalizations for its sustainability.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "The Trump Economy Is a Gilded Mediocrity," 20 Aug. 2017
Earlier this year hundreds of Marines were outfitted with suppressors to test how quieter weapons could enable better battlefield communication and coordination.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Army Is Officially Looking For a Newer, More Powerful Rifle," 7 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'enable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Enabling: the Behavior of an Enabler

Enable has a number of senses, most of which are some variant on allowing someone (or something, such as enabling cookies on a computer) to do something. In the past several decades, enable has also started to take on a new associated sense in the field of addiction studies, where enabling is viewed as giving misguided support to a person with some substance-abuse issue. A person who facilitates the self-destructive behavior of another is referred to as an enabler.

First Known Use of enable

15th century

enable Synonyms

Synonyms

allow, empower, let, permit

Antonyms

prevent

Related Words

fit, habilitate, prepare, qualify, ready; approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; condition, equip

Near Antonyms

inhibit, preclude; disallow, enjoin, forbid, prohibit

ENABLE Defined for English Language Learners

enable

play

verb

Definition of enable for English Language Learners

: to make (someone or something) able to do or to be something
: to make (something) possible, practical, or easy
: to cause (a feature or capability of a computer) to be active or available for use