Enable
What it means
To provide the means or conditions that make an action possible.
Reach for it when describing practical capability created by access, design, or support
A text transcript will enable commuters to follow the lesson without sound.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal |
-
playful
open the door
Fits when a new opportunity should sound inviting
Careful The metaphor suggests possibility but leaves the actual mechanism vague.
-
everyday
allow
Fits when permission or absence of prevention is enough
Careful Mere permission may leave a person without the practical means to proceed.
-
warm
equip
Fits when tools, knowledge, or preparation are provided
Careful Equipping someone does not guarantee that surrounding conditions permit action.
-
professional
Fits when a dormant function or capability is switched on
Careful Activation fits systems better than sustained human support.
-
professional
Fits when agency and control are intentionally transferred
Careful A feature enabling one task rarely transfers enough agency to warrant empower.
-
formal
Fits when a process is made easier rather than newly possible
Careful Facilitation may smooth an action that was already available.
Opposites 4
- prevent
- disable
- block
- hinder
Common phrases 3
-
enable access
A portable ramp will enable access while the main lift is repaired.
-
enable people
Clear examples enable people to check the calculation themselves.
-
technology enables
This technology enables rural clinics to share scans securely.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, California accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated