Empower vs. Power — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 7, 2024
Empower focuses on granting authority or power to others, enhancing their capacity to act, whereas power is about possessing control, authority, or influence over others.
Difference Between Empower and Power
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Empowerment and power are both significant concepts in various fields, including social, political, and personal spheres. Empowerment is about enabling individuals or groups to take control of their circumstances and achieve their goals. It involves the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights. On the other hand, power refers to the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. Power can be exercised in many forms, including physical force, wealth, social connections, or positions of authority.
Empowerment often involves education, the provision of resources, and the removal of barriers that hinder individuals or groups from realizing their potential. This process emphasizes the development of skills, knowledge, and confidence. Power, however, is more about the possession or exercise of control, authority, or influence over others. It can be seen in hierarchical relationships, such as between employers and employees, governments and citizens, or within any social or organizational structure.
While empowerment aims to distribute power more evenly and encourage participation and decision-making among all members of a group or community, power itself is often concentrated in the hands of a few. This concentration can lead to imbalances and inequalities in society. Empowerment seeks to address these imbalances by empowering the less powerful, thereby promoting fairness and equality.
Empowerment is a process that requires time, effort, and commitment. It involves not only the individual or group being empowered but also those who are in positions of power. These individuals must be willing to share power, facilitate the empowerment process, and support the empowerment of others. Power, in contrast, can be more static, with individuals or groups maintaining their power over time without necessarily working to empower others.
Empowerment can lead to a more equitable distribution of power within society, as it encourages the involvement and development of all individuals. This can result in more democratic and participatory forms of governance and organizational management. Power, when not balanced with empowerment, can perpetuate inequalities and hinder the development of a more inclusive and equitable society.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Granting authority or means to enable action.
Possession of control, authority, or influence over others.
Focus
Enhancing capacity and confidence.
Exercising control or authority.
Process
Involves education, resources, and support.
Involves asserting dominance or control.
Aim
To distribute power evenly, encourage participation.
Often to maintain or extend control or influence.
Outcome
More equitable society, personal growth.
Can lead to power imbalances and inequalities.
Compare with Definitions
Empower
To give someone the authority or means to do something.
The new policy aims to empower local communities.
Power
The ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way.
The power of the storm was unexpected.
Empower
To promote self-actualization or influence.
The campaign empowers youth through education.
Power
Authority that is given or delegated.
The power to make decisions rests with the board.
Empower
Making someone stronger and more confident in controlling their life.
The workshop aims to empower women economically.
Power
Physical might or force.
The engine's power is measured in horsepower.
Empower
The process of becoming more confident and strong.
Training programs are designed to empower employees.
Power
A state or nation possessing or exerting control and influence.
A superpower like the United States.
Empower
To authorize or enable legally.
The act empowers the board to set new regulations.
Power
The capacity to influence the behavior of others or the course of events.
She held a lot of power within the company.
Empower
Give (someone) the authority or power to do something
Members are empowered to audit the accounts of limited companies
Power
The ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way
His powers of concentration
The power of speech
I will do everything in my power to help you
Empower
To invest with power, especially legal power or official authority.
Power
The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events
She had me in her power
A political process that offers people power over their own lives
Empower
To equip or supply with an ability; enable
"Computers ... empower students to become intellectual explorers" (Edward B. Fiske).
Power
Physical strength and force exerted by something or someone
The lyrical power of his prose
The power of the storm
Empower
(transitive) To give permission, power, or the legal right to do something.
Power
Energy that is produced by mechanical, electrical, or other means and used to operate a device
Generating power from waste
Power cables
Empower
(transitive) 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.
John found that starting up his own business empowered him greatly in social situations.
Power
The rate of doing work, measured in watts or less frequently horse power.
Empower
To give authority to; to delegate power to; to commission; to authorize (having commonly a legal force); as, the Supreme Court is empowered to try and decide cases, civil or criminal; the attorney is empowered to sign an acquittance, and discharge the debtor.
Power
The product obtained when a number is multiplied by itself a certain number of times
2 to the power of 4 equals 16
Empower
To give moral or physical power, faculties, or abilities to.
Power
A large number or amount of something
There's a power of difference between farming now and when I was a lad
Empower
To enable or permit; to give more opportunity for independent action.
Power
Supply (a device) with mechanical or electrical energy
A nuclear-powered submarine
The car is powered by a fuel-injected 3.0-litre engine
Empower
Give or delegate power or authority to;
She authorized her assistant to sign the papers
Power
Move or travel with great speed or force
He powered round a bend
Empower
Give qualities or abilities to
Power
The ability or capacity to act or do something effectively
Is it in your power to undo this injustice?.
Power
Often powers A specific capacity, faculty, or aptitude
Her powers of concentration.
Power
Physical strength or force exerted or capable of being exerted
The power of the waves.
Power
Effectiveness at moving one's emotions or changing how one thinks
A novel of great power.
Power
The ability or official capacity to exercise control; authority
How long has that party been in power?.
Power
The military strength or economic or political influence of a nation or other group
That country projects its power throughout the region.
Power
A country, nation, or other political unit having great influence or control over others
The western powers.
Power
A supernatural being
The powers of evil.
Power
Powers(Christianity) The sixth of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology.
Power
The energy or motive force by which a physical system or machine is operated
Turbines turned by steam power.
A sailing ship driven by wind power.
Power
The capacity of a system or machine to operate
A vehicle that runs under its own power.
Power
Electrical or mechanical energy, especially as used to assist or replace human energy.
Power
Electricity supplied to a home, building, or community
A storm that cut off power to the whole region.
Power
(Physics) The rate at which work is done, expressed as the amount of work per unit time and commonly measured in units such as the watt and horsepower.
Power
The product of applied potential difference and current in a direct-current circuit.
Power
The product of the effective values of the voltage and current with the cosine of the phase angle between current and voltage in an alternating-current circuit.
Power
See exponent.
Power
The number of elements in a finite set.
Power
(Statistics) In a statistical test, the probability of correctly rejecting the null hypothesis when it is false.
Power
A measure of the magnification of an optical instrument, such as a microscope or telescope.
Power
Chiefly Upper Southern US A large number or amount. See Note at powerful.
Power
(Archaic) An armed force.
Power
Of or relating to political, social, or economic control
A power struggle.
A power base.
Power
Operated with mechanical or electrical energy in place of bodily exertion
A power tool.
Power car windows.
Power
Of or relating to the generation or transmission of electricity
Power companies.
Power lines.
Power
(Informal) Of or relating to influential business or professional practices
A pinstriped suit with a power tie.
Met with high-level executives at a power breakfast.
Power
To supply with power, especially mechanical or electrical power.
Power
The ability to do or undergo something.
Power
(social) The ability to coerce, influence, or control.
Power
(countable) The ability to affect or influence.
Power
Control or coercion, particularly legal or political (jurisdiction).
Power
The people in charge of legal or political power, the government.
Power
(metonymically) An influential nation, company, or other such body.
Power
An army, a military force.
Power
Effectiveness.
Power
Physical force or strength.
He needed a lot of power to hit the ball out of the stadium.
Power
Electricity or a supply of electricity.
After the pylons collapsed, this town was without power for a few days.
Power
A measure of the rate of doing work or transferring energy.
Power
The strength by which a lens or mirror magnifies an optical image.
We need a microscope with higher power.
Power
A large amount or number.
Power
Any of the elementary forms or parts of machines: three primary (the lever, inclined plane, and pulley) and three secondary (the wheel-and-axle, wedge, and screw).
The mechanical powers
Power
A measure of the effectiveness that a force producing a physical effect has over time. If linear, the quotient of: (force multiplied by the displacement of or in an object) ÷ time. If rotational, the quotient of: (force multiplied by the angle of displacement) ÷ time.
Power
(mathematics)
Power
A product of equal factors (and generalizations of this notion): , read as " to the power of " or the like, is called a power and denotes the product , where appears times in the product; is called the base and the exponent.
Power
(set theory) Cardinality.
Power
(statistics) The probability that a statistical test will reject the null hypothesis when the alternative hypothesis is true.
Power
In Christian angelology, an intermediate level of angels, ranked above archangels, but exact position varies by classification scheme.
Power
(transitive) To provide power for (a mechanical or electronic device).
This CD player is powered by batteries.
Power
(transitive) To hit or kick something forcefully.
Power
To enable or provide the impetus for.
Power
Impressive.
Power
Same as Poor, the fish.
Power
Ability to act, regarded as latent or inherent; the faculty of doing or performing something; capacity for action or performance; capability of producing an effect, whether physical or moral: potency; might; as, a man of great power; the power of capillary attraction; money gives power.
Power
Ability, regarded as put forth or exerted; strength, force, or energy in action; as, the power of steam in moving an engine; the power of truth, or of argument, in producing conviction; the power of enthusiasm.
Power
Capacity of undergoing or suffering; fitness to be acted upon; susceptibility; - called also passive power; as, great power of endurance.
Power, then, is active and passive; faculty is active power or capacity; capacity is passive power.
Power
The exercise of a faculty; the employment of strength; the exercise of any kind of control; influence; dominion; sway; command; government.
Power is no blessing in itself but when it is employed to protect the innocent.
Power
The agent exercising an ability to act; an individual invested with authority; an institution, or government, which exercises control; as, the great powers of Europe; hence, often, a superhuman agent; a spirit; a divinity.
And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
Power
A military or naval force; an army or navy; a great host.
Never such a power . . . Was levied in the body of a land.
Power
A large quantity; a great number; as, a power o good things.
Power
The rate at which mechanical energy is exerted or mechanical work performed, as by an engine or other machine, or an animal, working continuously; as, an engine of twenty horse power.
Power
A mechanical agent; that from which useful mechanical energy is derived; as, water power; steam power; hand power, etc.
Power
The product arising from the multiplication of a number into itself; as, a square is the second power, and a cube is third power, of a number.
Power
A machine acted upon by an animal, and serving as a motor to drive other machinery; as, a dog power.
Power
Mental or moral ability to act; one of the faculties which are possessed by the mind or soul; as, the power of thinking, reasoning, judging, willing, fearing, hoping, etc.
The guiltiness of my mind, the sudden surprise of my powers, drove the grossness . . . into a received belief.
Power
The degree to which a lens, mirror, or any optical instrument, magnifies; in the telescope, and usually in the microscope, the number of times it multiplies, or augments, the apparent diameter of an object; sometimes, in microscopes, the number of times it multiplies the apparent surface.
Power
An authority enabling a person to dispose of an interest vested either in himself or in another person; ownership by appointment.
Power
Hence, vested authority to act in a given case; as, the business was referred to a committee with power.
Power
Possession of controlling influence;
The deterrent power of nuclear weapons
The power of his love saved her
His powerfulness was concealed by a gentle facade
Power
(physics) the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second)
Power
Possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done;
Danger heightened his powers of discrimination
Power
A state powerful enough to influence events throughout the world
Power
(of a government or government official) holding an office means being in power;
Being in office already gives a candidate a great advantage
During his first year in office
During his first year in power
The power of the president
Power
One possessing or exercising power or influence or authority;
The mysterious presence of an evil power
May the force be with you
The forces of evil
Power
Physical strength
Power
A mathematical notation indicating the number of times a quantity is multiplied by itself
Power
A very wealthy or powerful businessman;
An oil baron
Power
Supply the force or power for the functioning of;
The gasoline powers the engines
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to empower someone?
Empowering someone means giving them the authority, means, or confidence to do something, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.
Is power always negative?
No, power can be used positively or negatively, depending on how it is exercised and for what purposes.
How is power different from authority?
Power is the capacity to influence or direct behavior, whereas authority is the legitimate or accepted use of power, usually within a specific role or position.
What are the forms of power?
Power can take many forms, including coercive, reward, legitimate, referent, and expert power.
Can empowerment exist without power?
Empowerment involves redistributing or sharing power, so it inherently depends on the existence and use of power in a constructive way.
Can empowerment lead to more equality?
Yes, empowerment aims to level the playing field by giving more people the ability to participate fully in various aspects of life, leading to greater equality.
How can organizations empower their employees?
Organizations can empower employees by providing them with resources, opportunities for growth, decision-making autonomy, and support for their initiatives.
What is the role of education in empowerment?
Education plays a crucial role in empowerment by providing knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to take control of one's life and make informed decisions.
How does social power affect relationships?
Social power can affect relationships by determining who has the influence or control in interactions, potentially leading to imbalances and conflicts.
How is power maintained in societies?
Power in societies is maintained through various mechanisms, including laws, norms, economic systems, and social hierarchies.
What is the difference between personal and social empowerment?
Personal empowerment relates to an individual's control over their life and decisions, while social empowerment concerns the collective strength and influence of groups in society.
How can individuals gain more power?
Individuals can gain more power through education, building networks, acquiring resources, and developing personal skills and competencies.
What is political power?
Political power is the ability to influence or control the policies and actions of a state or organization.
Why is empowerment important in development?
Empowerment is important in development because it enables individuals and communities to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from growth processes.
How do empowerment and power dynamics play out in the workplace?
In the workplace, empowerment and power dynamics can affect employee motivation, satisfaction, and productivity, depending on how power is distributed and used.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
