Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Empower
verb
/ em-POW-er /
Easy
Meaning
To give authority, capability, resources, or confidence to someone, enabling them to act independently and assert their rights
Origin / Etymology
Latin potere (to have power) via Old French empouvoir
Synonyms
Enable
Capacitate
Authorise
Equip
Antonyms
Disempower
Subjugate
Marginalise
Disenfranchise
Example Sentence
"Financial inclusion through Jan Dhan accounts has empowered millions of women to access credit and make independent economic decisions."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Central to GS1 (women empowerment) and GS2 (governance, rights). Distinguish between formal empowerment (legal rights, quotas) and substantive empowerment (actual capability to exercise those rights). UPSC essays often ask to evaluate whether specific schemes have truly empowered beneficiaries or merely created dependency.
Relevant Subjects
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