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
Years into the overhaul, Mulally’s then–heir apparent Mark Fields recalled how the CEO had empowered executives to defy Ford’s long-standing culture that buried bad news.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 12 June 2026
Their leadership demonstrates that real impact comes not from top-down mandates, but from empowering the people who know the problem best.
—Nicole F. Roberts, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Science as a whole might skew too old, the study suggests, but rebalancing requires not just empowering younger scientists but better connecting them with older ones.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
Part of the nonprofit’s work focuses on empowering parents to have conversations with their children about the importance of never driving while under the influence or getting in a car with an impaired driver.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for empower
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Claire Zillman, Fortune, 12 June 2026
Their leadership demonstrates that real impact comes not from top-down mandates, but from empowering the people who know the problem best.
—Nicole F. Roberts, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Science as a whole might skew too old, the study suggests, but rebalancing requires not just empowering younger scientists but better connecting them with older ones.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
Part of the nonprofit’s work focuses on empowering parents to have conversations with their children about the importance of never driving while under the influence or getting in a car with an impaired driver.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for empower
Cite this Entry
“Empower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empower. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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
