verb · neutral

empower

UK/ɪmˈpaʊə(r)/US/ɪmˈpaʊər/em·POW·er

Band 7+speakingtask2

to give someone the authority, confidence, or means to do something

Examples

Educational programs can empower students to make informed choices.

Technology has empowered small businesses to reach wider markets.

The policy aims to empower marginalized communities.

Band 8 sentence

Policies that empower local stakeholders often produce more sustainable outcomes than top-down directives.

Collocations

  • empower someone to do something
  • empower marginalized communities
  • self-empowerment

Word family

empowerment nounempowered adjective

Common mistakes

use 'allow' or 'permit' instead of 'empower'empower

Say it for a higher band

5help6enable7+empower

Synonyms

enable

Easily confused

enable

The new technology enables faster communication.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In Sublist 6

Learn it with its set