empower

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Verb 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Antonyms 1.3.3 Derived terms 1.3.4 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -aʊə(r)

[edit] Etymology

em- +‎ power

[edit] Verb

to empower (third-person singular simple present empowers, present participle empowering, simple past and past participle empowered)

1. (transitive) To give permission or power to do something.
   • 1985, William H. Tench, Safety is no accident:

     Regulations have been made under the Civil Aviation Acts of 1949, 1980 and 1982 which empower Inspectors of Accidents to do these things.

2. (transitive) Abstractly, to give the confidence to do something.

   John found that starting up his own business empowered him greatly in social situations.

   • 1992, Nick Logan, The Face, page 11-130:

     Musically, what originally attracted me to dance was its shamanist aspects, using natural magic to change people's neurological states and to psychologically empower them.

[edit] Synonyms

• (give permission to): allow, let, permit
• (give confidence to): inspire

[edit] Antonyms

• (give permission to): ban, bar, forbid, prohibit
• (give confidence to): disempower, dishearten, disspirit

[edit] Derived terms

• empowerment

[edit] Translations