disempower

English

Etymology

From dis- +‎ empower.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /dɪsɪmˈpaʊ(w)ə(ɹ)/
  • Rhymes: -aʊə(ɹ)

Verb

disempower (third-person singular simple present disempowers, present participle disempowering, simple past and past participle disempowered)

  1. To strip power from (someone or some group), as:
    1. To remove morale or self-confidence from (someone or some group) to do something.
      • 1990, Editors: Tim Brighouse and Bob Moon, Managing the National Curriculum, Harlow: Longman Group UK Ltd, page 97:
        A powerful head can sometimes disempower the teaching staff, and create among them a sort of passivity that is close to inertia.
      Synonyms: dishearten, dispirit, demoralize, demotivate, enervate
      Antonyms: empower, hearten, inspire, motivate
    2. To remove authority or (official) confidence from (someone or some group) to do something (such as administer a state function), as by demoting, disestablishing, or unincorporating a group.
      Antonyms: empower, establish, install
      The reformation disempowered the established church and thus roiled the aristocracy.

Derived terms

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