empowerment

The word “empowerment” means the process of gaining greater confidence, control, or power over one's own life or circumstances. In plain terms, gaining more control, confidence, or power, especially for a group that previously had little.

Here is “empowerment” used in a sentence: “The charity focuses on the economic empowerment of rural women.”

“Empowerment” is a noun.

“Empowerment” is an uncommon word in modern English.

Empowerment is the noun naming the process itself, the gradual gaining of confidence, control, or power over one's circumstances. Empowered is the adjective describing someone who has already been given that authority or confidence. You pursue empowerment as a goal, but you become empowered as the result.

Authority refers to a formal right or power to make decisions, often granted by a position or role. Empowerment is broader and describes a process of building confidence and control, which can come from formal authority but can equally come from personal growth or support, without any official title attached.

Empowerment frequently appears in phrases like "women's empowerment," "economic empowerment," and "personal empowerment," each referring to a specific group or area gaining greater control or confidence.