empowerment

noun

em·​pow·​er·​ment im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r-mənt 

plural empowerments

1

: the act or action of empowering someone or something : the granting of the power, right, or authority to perform various acts or duties

Malcolm X, the eloquent spokesman for black empowerment who, in 1965, was gunned down at the age of 39 in New York city, continues to influence the political, social, and cultural climate of our society.

—Joe Wood

Therefore, part of the cure for poverty was empowerment—training the residents of a poor neighborhood to organize themselves and learn to get things from the power structure.

—Nicholas Lemann

2

: the state of being empowered to do something : the power, right, or authority to do something

Education does not automatically result in women's empowerment, as the social and economic context in which women live can pose overwhelming constraints on their choices.

—Erin Murphy-Graham

The focus on getting a candidate elected is a way for voters wary of broken promises to gain a sense of empowerment.

—John Dutton

Amid the uproar, he and his fellow students felt a budding—and maybe false—sense of empowerment.

—James Graff

Like John Lennon, he brought the idea that through music, empowerment and words, you can really come up with world peace.

—Wyclef Jean

Synonyms

• accreditation
• authorization
• commission
• delegation
• license
• licence
• mandate

Examples of empowerment in a Sentence

the empowerment of her husband to make medical decisions on her behalf is clearly stated in her living will

Recent Examples on the Web

In her new book, Shallow looks back on her past — including her childhood on a Florida commune and her journey to TV stardom — and shares her path toward empowerment. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024

Mentorship and empowerment equip younger professionals with the tools and confidence to thrive. —Anthony Howard, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

By providing a straightforward transparency and consumer alignment business model, LIR is a bold advocate for consumer empowerment and bespoke value. —Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024

Zaki, whose recent credits include the Netflix hit Perfect Strangers and Hany Khalifa’s female empowerment drama Flight 404, which is Egypt’s Oscar entry this year, was feted with an honorary career award on the festival’s opening night, presented by Minnie Driver. —Nada Aboul Kheir, Deadline, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 2