empower
em-POW-er
/ɪmˈpaʊər/
To give someone the authority, confidence, or practical means to do something.
Focuses on transferring agency, control, or resources to others, allowing them to act independently rather than relying on a leader.
The story behind the word. Formed from the prefix 'em-' (meaning 'to put into') and the English word 'power' (derived from the Latin 'potere', meaning 'to be able'). It literally means to put the ability or power into someone else's hands.
Word relationships
- authorize: Authorize focuses strictly on granting legal or official permission, whereas empower includes building confidence and providing the practical means to succeed.
- enable: Enable means to make something possible, which can sometimes be neutral or even negative (like enabling bad behavior), whereas empower is consistently positive and focused on agency.
- disenfranchise: Disenfranchise means to deprive someone of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote, stripping away their power.
- marginalize: Marginalize means to treat a person or group as insignificant or peripheral, reducing their influence and power.
Commonly confused with
- delegate: Delegate means to assign a specific task to someone else, while empower means to give them the broad authority and confidence to make their own decisions.
Word family
- empowerment (noun): The granting of power, right, or authority to perform various acts or duties.
Collocations
- empower employees
- empower individuals
- feel empowered
- empower communities
Example sentences
- "The new CEO sought to empower department managers by delegating budget decisions directly to them." Discussing corporate management strategies.
- "Access to quality education is the most effective tool we have to empower marginalized communities." Describing the social impact of education.
Memory hook
Break it down: 'Em-' (put into) + 'Power'. You are literally putting power into someone's hands so they can do it themselves. Put power in their hands.
When not to use
Do not use when you are simply commanding or ordering someone to do something; empowerment requires giving them genuine autonomy and choice.
Fun facts
- While 'empower' feels like a very modern, corporate buzzword, its first recorded use in English actually dates back to the mid-17th century, where it was used in legal and religious contexts.
Explore more words
empowerment, embolden, give permission, agency, bestow, assert
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.