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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Peace Corps Lingo
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Where Wolves Don't Die
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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.
But “Gail Daughtry” is less about sex and personal empowerment than the cult of celebrity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 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
"It gave me the empowerment to go back to our GP and push for a referral. That test opened doors for us to get Simran the help she needed," she says.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
“For me, it was about these empowerment sessions. But somebody reminded me, ‘You know, people like to have fun too,’” Sue chuckled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
West was an outspoken advocate for black empowerment and one of the leaders of the local NAACP.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
