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 FriendSynonyms
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
Editors’ Picks In 1996, work began on a rule to empower regulators to police levels in coal mines.
—Chris Hamby, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Girls have a voice, they’re empowered, they’re educated.
—Brande Victorian, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024
Grove, a retired physician, said she’s always been a climate activist, and it’s been empowering to see her neighbors interested in having a positive impact on the environment.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
The country’s current President Bernardo Arévalo, an anti-corruption figure who defied the odds and won the election last year in a landslide victory, has promised to empower the judiciary.
—Tara John, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024
Through tutorial videos and virtual styling appointments, Tad More empowers customers to engage with their clothing alteration process in a way that suits their preferences and learning styles.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
By allying with southern conservatives, Ronald Reagan helped to empower a cultural conservatism in the GOP that eventually overwhelmed his own political agenda.
—TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
This is the objective of the program my government has developed and is determined to execute: pushing through economic and financial reforms, enhancing human rights, empowering women, generally fostering the principles of freedom and democracy.
—Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2024
While many companies have clear internal policies and guidelines against discrimination in the workplace, not all have nurtured a culture and workplace that empowers employees to be able to bring their full selves to work.
—Sander Van 't Noordende, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
Chris Hamby, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Girls have a voice, they’re empowered, they’re educated.
—Brande Victorian, Essence, 15 Apr. 2024
Grove, a retired physician, said she’s always been a climate activist, and it’s been empowering to see her neighbors interested in having a positive impact on the environment.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
The country’s current President Bernardo Arévalo, an anti-corruption figure who defied the odds and won the election last year in a landslide victory, has promised to empower the judiciary.
—Tara John, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024
Through tutorial videos and virtual styling appointments, Tad More empowers customers to engage with their clothing alteration process in a way that suits their preferences and learning styles.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
By allying with southern conservatives, Ronald Reagan helped to empower a cultural conservatism in the GOP that eventually overwhelmed his own political agenda.
—TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
This is the objective of the program my government has developed and is determined to execute: pushing through economic and financial reforms, enhancing human rights, empowering women, generally fostering the principles of freedom and democracy.
—Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2024
While many companies have clear internal policies and guidelines against discrimination in the workplace, not all have nurtured a culture and workplace that empowers employees to be able to bring their full selves to work.
—Sander Van 't Noordende, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'empower.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near empower
Cite this Entry
“Empower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empower. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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
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