Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "disempower" [dis•em•pow•er]

  • To deprive of power or influence. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "disempower" in a sentence
  • "He said both government and the media had to ensure that they did not "disempower" people."
  • "In this country, you can't buy a cell phone or take a job without agreeing to disempower yourself."
  • "More from the Yale study: campaigns that focus solely on the negative consequences of HIV infection may serve to disempower men with HIV by making them appear weak, helpless or diseased; depictions of visible symptoms reinforce commonly held beliefs..."