empower

/ɪmˈpaʊə(ɹ)/

//ɪmˈpaʊə(ɹ)// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"empower" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“empower” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #14,750. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,750
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To give permission, power, or the legal right to do something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-empower · empower · English

empower · rank #14,750 · 10 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #14,750
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH Ernst

Nearest frequency peer: Ernst (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “empower”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “empower” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

empower vs empowered
78% similar
empower vs employer
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for empower
PropertyValue
Headwordempower
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪmˈpaʊə(ɹ)/
Letters7
Frequency rank#14,750
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “empower”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).empowerlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Ernst” (#14,751), “dumpster” (#14,748), “Ethiopian” (#14,752). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “empower” is #14,750. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around empower (IPA /ɪmˈpaʊə(ɹ)/), averb. Corpus frequency is #14,750 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for empower, with forms such as "emmpower", "emopwer", and "empoewr". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "empowered", "employer", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From em- + power. The correct English form is empower, spelled E-M-P-O-W-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    To give permission, power, or the legal right to do something.
  2. 2
    To give someone more confidence and/or strength to do something, often by enabling them to increase their control over their own life or situation.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how empower appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Regulations have been made under the Civil Aviation Acts of 1949, 1980 and 1982 which empower Inspectors of Accidents to do these things.
  2. Once on site, inspectors are empowered to exercise wide-ranging legal powers - including the right to enter railway property or land adjoining it; to make written, electronic or photographic records; to seize equipment, remove or retain samples; and to be given access to records and recording equipment.

Etymology

From em- + power.

This word in other languages

apoderar(Español)autoriser(Français)bevollmächtigen(Deutsch)permitir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • emmpower
  • emopwer
  • empoewr
  • empowerr
  • empowre
  • empowwer
  • emppower
  • empwoer
  • epmower
  • mepower

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of empower - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

emmpower1emopwer2empoewr2empowerr1empowre2empowwer1emppower1empwoer2
Edit distance from "empower"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "empower"?
"empower" is spelled E-M-P-O-W-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈpaʊə(ɹ)/.
What does "empower" mean?
As a verb, "empower" means: To give permission, power, or the legal right to do something.
What words are commonly confused with "empower"?
"empower" is commonly confused with "empowered", "employer". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "empower"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "empower" is /ɪmˈpaʊə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "empower"?
From em- + power. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "empower", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

drilled#14,747excerpt#14,754doorway#14,745descend#14,738

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

Georgian10 variantsgetaway10 variantsglamour10 variantsLaurent10 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list