to make possible or effective; specif., to make possible or support the dysfunctional behavior of (someone), as by denying it exists or compensating for it in some way
Derived forms
enabler (enˈabler)
noun
Examples of 'enable' in a sentence
enable
The service that enables people to get to work and get around is clearly an essential one.
The Sun (2016)
The retirement lifestyle booster has been designed to enable older people to do exactly this.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
What this does is enable us to make best use of the runway capacity we have here.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But enabling people to solve their own housing problems'has huge potential.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This campaign may enable more people in football to feel comfortable in telling their stories and being themselves with no shame or guilt attached.
The Sun (2016)
A toad with magic powers enables him to spend an experimental week as each of two other creatures.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The stadium could enable a new owner to add value to his investment.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
To do that requires information that enables executives to make informed judgments.
Peter F. Drucker THE ESSENTIAL DRUCKER (2001)
Active participation in their education enables young people to form positive views of themselves.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Consumer power has enabled the reinvention of middle age.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Everybody needs support to enable a new approach to stick.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Reduced crash risks could enable manufacturers to make vehicles lighter.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He reported that a mechanical horse had been purchased to enable the younger jockeys to hone their skills.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Councils are pressing for powers to enable them to enforce penalties which at present can be imposed only by police.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
New technology has enabled smaller businesses to enter sectors in which they would previously have needed large amounts of capital.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The planned changes would enable universities to make offers based on results rather than conditional offers based on predicted grades.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
That happy stability has enabled a young man who was rather flaky to establish a series of records that is monumental.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It enables people to do more, to be more independent.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This new relationship should enable us to trade freely with the rest of Europe.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The meters will enable power companies to improve energy efficiency by introducing off-peak deals.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
All 472 employees have the opportunity to gain new qualifications to enable the company to grow.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This enabled him to make contacts, as did a stint as an independent scout.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Oh to be fluent in the international language that enabled my younger son and husband to befriend villagers in rural Burma.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
This telecoms company has been a global pioneer of mobile phone banking, enabling people to transfer money with a minimum of fuss.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But an MBA is about enabling people to tackle tasks this complex.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
A website that enables people to share openly, honestly and anonymously felt ideal.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
enable
British English: enable VERB
If someone or something enables you to do a particular thing, they give you the opportunity to do it.
The new test should enable doctors to detect the disease early.
American English: enable
Brazilian Portuguese: permitir
Chinese: 使能够
European Spanish: permitir
French: permettre
German: befähigen
Italian: permettere a
Japanese: 機会を与える
Korean: ~할 수 있게 하다
European Portuguese: permitir
Latin American Spanish: permitir
Chinese translation of 'enable'
enable
(ɪˈneɪbl)
vt
to enable sb to do sth (= make possible) 使某人能够(夠)做某事 (shǐ mǒurén nénggòu zuò mǒushì)
(= permit, allow)[law]批准(準) (pīzhǔn)
1 (verb)
Definition
to make possible
The new test should enable doctors to detect the disease early.
Synonyms
allow
permit
facilitate
The new airport will facilitate the development of tourism.
empower
empowering the underprivileged by means of education
give someone the opportunity
give someone the means
Opposites
stop
,
prevent
,
hinder
,
obstruct
,
impede
2 (verb)
The authorities issued visas to enable them to enter the country.
Synonyms
authorize
We are willing to authorize a police raid.
allow
Talking amongst yourselves is not allowed.
commission
You can commission them to paint something especially for you.
permit
I was permitted to bring my camera into the concert.
Our constitution does not permit the sending of troops.
qualify
The course does not qualify you to practise as a therapist.
sanction
He may seem ready to sanction the use of force.
entitle
Your contract entitles you to a full refund.
license
the council can license a U.S. company to produce the drug
warrant
The allegations are serious enough to warrant an investigation.
empower
The trustees of the museum are empowered to sell items from its collection.
give someone the right
Opposites
stop
, bar,
ban
,
block
,
thwart
Additional synonyms
in the sense of commission
Definition
to place an order for
You can commission them to paint something especially for you.
Synonyms
appoint,
order,
contract,
select,
engage,
delegate,
nominate,
authorize,
empower,
depute
in the sense of empower
Definition
to give (someone) the power or authority to do something
empowering the underprivileged by means of education
Synonyms
enable,
equip,
emancipate,
give means to,
enfranchise
in the sense of empower
Definition
to give (someone) the power or authority to do something
The trustees of the museum are empowered to sell items from its collection.