empower
Americanverb (used with object)
-
empowers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
empowered,
past participle, past
-
empowering
present participle
-
to give power or authority to; authorize, especially by legal or official means.
I empowered my agent to make the deal for me. The local ordinance empowers the board of health to close unsanitary restaurants.
- Synonyms:
- qualify, license, commission, warrant
-
to enable or permit.
Wealth empowered him to live a comfortable life.
verb
-
to give or delegate power or authority to; authorize
-
to give ability to; enable or permit
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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empowersimple
-
empowerssimple
-
have empoweredperfect
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has empoweredperfect
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am empoweringprogressive
-
are empoweringprogressive
-
is empoweringprogressive
-
have been empoweringperfect progressive
-
has been empoweringperfect progressive
Past
-
empoweredsimple
-
had empoweredperfect
-
was empoweringprogressive
-
were empoweringprogressive
-
had been empoweringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of empower
Explanation
Empower means "give power or authority to." When you educate children and believe in them, you empower those kids to go after their dreams. Empower might seem like a new word, but it's been around since the 17th century. Today, empower often refers to helping someone realize their abilities and potential, perhaps for the first time. For example, in the 1960s, when women felt like second-class citizens, the women's movement empowered them to stand up and demand their equal rights.
Vocabulary lists containing empower
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Michelle Obama's final address as First Lady (2017)
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"Hip-Hop as Culture" and "I Am Somebody"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But it was clear at the time it was adopted that it did not empower “the justices of the court to supplement or supplant the Governor’s executive clemency authority.”
From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026
He announced the launch of “Smithsonian Cares,” a digital resource that would “provide tools and guidance to empower and inspire conversations about diversity, equity, access and inclusion.”
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
She said: "We need to ensure investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to empower communities and deliver real improvements in public services."
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
They say you do not empower your staff to make decisions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
If I wanted to empower people, to make them feel included and seen, this definitely wasn’t the right way.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
“Happiness Insurance empowers people to take action for their happiness, investing in what matters most, regardless of what the economy does.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
McVay empowers all coaches, said Taylor, who had previous experience as a coordinator.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Pusateri added that the company, which is currently reviewing Apple's complaint, is "focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere."
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
"We have no interest in other companies' trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere," an OpenAI spokesperson said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
Today, art historians like to say that Les Demoiselles empowers viewers, which is what they say about the Mona Lisa too—they mean that both paintings are open to interpretation.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
“It’s an empowered movement as a result of this,” said Janice Stein, founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
The closeted kid who felt empowered to come out during their showcase monologue, only to receive uproarious applause from the crowd.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
According to Harris, Boulder’s “entire thesis” depended on the idea that the “mere fact of having injuries” empowered it to regulate “worldwide conduct.”
From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026
"We must foster a culture in which sexual assault is inexcusable and ensure our community is empowered and understands informed consent," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
I feel empowered and I kick her shoes out of alignment, and I’m amazed that such a small action could feel so good.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
Startups are designing plants that glow or turn purple when disease or pests strike, empowering farmers to act quickly without widespread chemical use.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
Few would argue there aren't valid feminist questions for the beauty industry to answer, around unrealistic standards for example, but the largely female-run nail sector also feels empowering for many women.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
For people tinkering around the edges, with the goal of feeling stronger and more energetic, the glut of recommendations in here could feel empowering, perhaps like a sturdy reference text.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
But once a month it offers a “Free Yoga Day,” with multiple classes “dedicated to educating and empowering each individual to take charge of their wellbeing.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
“You can’t let what other people think about you bother you; you’ll never be happy if you do. Turning an insult into something you embrace is a good way of empowering yourself.”
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
