What does "enable" mean?
To make somebody able (to do, or to be, something); to give sufficient ability or power to do or to be; to give strength or ability to.
Enable
/ɪˈneɪbəl/ verb
verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To make somebody able (to do, or to be, something); to give sufficient ability or power to do or to be; to give strength or ability to.
- Grammar: enable is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abilitate, accredit, activate, activate license.
- Useful contrasts: cramped, crippled, frustrating.
- Usage evidence: This may be because of a change in people's attitude toward marriage and the sharp increase of fast food restaurants and convenience stores which are open 24 hours a day and enable young people to live more easily.
How to use "enable"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "enable" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "enable" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "enable" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "enable" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "enable" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abilitate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "enable", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To make somebody able (to do, or to be, something); to give sufficient ability or power to do or to be; to give strength or ability to.
"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief."
- 2 render capable or able for some task wordnet
- 3 To affirm; to make firm and strong.
- 4 To qualify or approve for some role or position; to render sanction or authorization to; to confirm suitability for.
"This was widely interpreted to mean that slavery was once more firmly illegal in England. However, the "positive law" mentioned–i.e., a direct law specifically enabling slavery–existed in many British colonies (although not all), since these colonies had a degree of freedom to write their own law apart from that of the home country."
- 5 To yield the opportunity or provide the possibility for something; to provide with means, opportunities, and the like.
"Temperance gives Nature her full play, and enables her to exert herself in all her force and vigor."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 To imply or tacitly confer excuse for an action or a behavior.
"His parents enabled him to go on buying drugs."
- 7 To put a circuit element into action by supplying a suitable input pulse.
- 8 To activate, to make operational (especially of a function of an electronic or mechanical device).
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"This may be because of a change in people's attitude toward marriage and the sharp increase of fast food restaurants and convenience stores which are open 24 hours a day and enable young people to live more easily."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "enable"?
Common synonyms include: abilitate, accredit, activate, activate license, activate system, activates.
How do you use "enable" in a sentence?
This may be because of a change in people's attitude toward marriage and the sharp increase of fast food restaurants and convenience stores which are open 24 hours a day and enable young people to live more easily.
How do you pronounce "enable"?
Pronounced /ɪˈneɪbəl/.
Etymology
From Middle English enablen, equivalent to en- + able.