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
Employees with a knack for technology or analytical skills can be trained and empowered to take on more technical roles.
—Brad Smith, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Be Specific and Objective Feedback is a pivotal tool in empowering growth.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025
The committee subsequently advanced a bill to empower the state auditor to create a team to investigate waste, fraud and inefficiency in state spending and report to lawmakers what can be cut.
—Doug Bock Clark, ProPublica, 8 Apr. 2025
This train is barreling down the tracks toward the Wild West, where no one is empowered to protect a war criminal posing as a political refugee from mob justice.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empower
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Brad Smith, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Be Specific and Objective Feedback is a pivotal tool in empowering growth.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025
The committee subsequently advanced a bill to empower the state auditor to create a team to investigate waste, fraud and inefficiency in state spending and report to lawmakers what can be cut.
—Doug Bock Clark, ProPublica, 8 Apr. 2025
This train is barreling down the tracks toward the Wild West, where no one is empowered to protect a war criminal posing as a political refugee from mob justice.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empower
Cite this Entry
“Empower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empower. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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?
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