empowerment
Britishnoun
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the giving or delegation of power or authority; authorization
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the giving of an ability; enablement or permission
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(in South Africa) a policy of providing special opportunities in employment, training, etc for Black people and others disadvantaged under apartheid
Explanation
Empowerment is the power granted by one person or institution to another. The government can grant empowerment to a department to effect change, or a person can grant empowerment to her lawyer to sign contracts on her behalf. In the US of the 1950s and 60s, there were a number of groups that sought empowerment against oppression. Some of these included the Civil Rights Movement, led by a number of powerful members including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During this period, César Chávez worked for the rights of Latinos and farm workers. There were a number of other empowerment movements as well, each working to gain power for an oppressed group.
Vocabulary lists containing empowerment
President Trump's Second State of the Union Address (2019)
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Where Wolves Don't Die
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Peace Corps Lingo
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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.
I propose a philosophy based on individual empowerment as the source of prosperity, invention as the primary purpose of superintelligence, and balance of power as the foundation of safety.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
There are many dedicated figures devoted to Chicano empowerment in America.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Additional risks of the ban include pushing young people into less-regulated online spaces, reducing their news consumption and their political empowerment, he added.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
"This kind of empowerment can be passed on to the many women living alone today, helping them handle minor household fixes completely on their own," the 42-year-old said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Their goal was to experience the joy and empowerment that education creates and to participate fully in American society.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
Definitions 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.
