Inspire vs. Empower — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 24, 2024
Inspire typically involves creating enthusiasm or new ideas in someone, while empower means giving individuals the means or confidence to do something.
Difference Between Inspire and Empower
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Inspiration often comes from observing someone else's achievements or qualities, which motivates one to do better or think differently. Whereas, empowerment involves providing tools, resources, or authority that enable a person to accomplish tasks.
Inspiring someone can be a passive process, where simply witnessing an act or listening to words can spur emotional or intellectual stimulation. On the other hand, empowering someone usually requires active intervention to give them capabilities or rights they previously did not possess.
Inspiration often affects the emotional or creative aspects of a person, encouraging them to explore new ideas or solutions. Whereas, empowerment is more practical, often focusing on building skills, knowledge, or access to opportunities.
People may feel inspired when they are touched by art, nature, or a compelling story. Whereas, empowerment often happens through educational achievements, acquiring new skills, or having supportive policies in place.
Inspirational moments can be fleeting and sometimes intangible, but they can have a lasting impact on one's perspectives or aspirations. Empowerment, however, often results in tangible changes to one’s status or abilities, having a direct effect on one’s actions and future.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To fill someone with the urge to do or feel something, especially something creative.
To give someone the authority or power to do something.
Key Focus
Emotional and intellectual stimulation
Provision of rights, tools, or resources
Outcome
New perspectives or motivation
Increased ability or authority
Typical Contexts
Art, literature, personal achievements
Education, legal rights, organizational roles
Dependence on External Factors
Often spontaneous and subjective
Structured and objective
Compare with Definitions
Inspire
To fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence.
His courage inspired his followers.
Empower
To promote the self-actualization or influence of.
The grant empowered the charity to expand its services.
Inspire
To animate, as an influence, feeling, thought, or the like, does.
Their leader inspired them with confidence.
Empower
To enable or permit.
Wealth empowered him to live a comfortable life.
Inspire
To produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.).
The athlete’s determination inspires admiration.
Empower
To give power or authority to; authorize, especially by legal or official means.
I empowered my attorney to act on my behalf.
Inspire
To influence or impel.
Competition inspired her to greater efforts.
Empower
To equip or supply with an ability; enable.
The scholarship empowered her to attend a university.
Inspire
To communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence.
The scriptures were inspired by God.
Empower
To build the capacity of individuals and groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes.
The workshop empowers participants to become leaders in their community.
Inspire
To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.
Empower
Give (someone) the authority or power to do something
Members are empowered to audit the accounts of limited companies
Inspire
To fill with enlivening or exalting emotion
Hymns that inspire the congregation.
An artist who was inspired by Impressionism.
Empower
To invest with power, especially legal power or official authority.
Inspire
To stimulate to action; motivate
A sales force that was inspired by the prospect of a bonus.
Empower
To equip or supply with an ability; enable
"Computers ... empower students to become intellectual explorers" (Edward B. Fiske).
Inspire
To cause (someone) to have a particular feeling; affect or touch
"At this moment he inspired her with disgust rather than with love" (Anthony Trollope).
Empower
(transitive) To give permission, power, or the legal right to do something.
Inspire
To cause someone to have (a feeling or reaction); elicit or arouse
A teacher who inspired admiration and respect.
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.
Inspire
To be the cause or source of; bring about
An invention that inspired many imitations.
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.
Inspire
To draw in (air) by inhaling.
Empower
To give moral or physical power, faculties, or abilities to.
Inspire
To breathe on.
Empower
To enable or permit; to give more opportunity for independent action.
Inspire
To breathe life into.
Empower
Give or delegate power or authority to;
She authorized her assistant to sign the papers
Inspire
To stimulate energies, ideals, or reverence
A leader who inspires by example.
Empower
Give qualities or abilities to
Inspire
To inhale.
Inspire
(transitive) To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.
Inspire
(transitive) To infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens or exalts; to communicate inspiration to.
Elders should inspire children with sentiments of virtue.
The captain's speech was aimed to inspire her team to victory in the final.
Inspire
(intransitive) To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale.
Inspire
To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
Inspire
To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
Inspire
(transitive) To spread rumour indirectly.
Inspire
To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate.
When Zephirus eek, with his sweete breath,Inspirèd hath in every holt and heathThe tender crops.
Descend, ye Nine, descend and sing,The breathing instruments inspire.
Inspire
To infuse by breathing, or as if by breathing.
He knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul.
Inspire
To draw in by the operation of breathing; to inhale; - opposed to expire.
Forced to inspire and expire the air with difficulty.
Inspire
To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by inspiration.
And generous stout courage did inspire.
But dawning day new comfort hath inspired.
Inspire
To infuse into; to affect, as with a superior or supernatural influence; to fill with what animates, enlivens, or exalts; to communicate inspiration to; as, to inspire a child with sentiments of virtue; to inspire a person to do extraordinary feats.
Erato, thy poet's mind inspire,And fill his soul with thy celestial fire.
Inspire
To draw in breath; to inhale air into the lungs; - opposed to expire.
Inspire
To breathe; to blow gently.
And when the wind amongst them did inspire,They wavèd like a penon wide dispread.
Inspire
Heighten or intensify;
These paintings exalt the imagination
Inspire
Supply the inspiration for;
The article about the artist inspired the exhibition of his recent work
Inspire
Serve as the inciting cause of;
She prompted me to call my relatives
Inspire
Urge on or encourage especially by shouts;
The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers
Inspire
Fill with revolutionary ideas
Inspire
Draw in (air);
Inhale deeply
Inhale the fresh mountain air
The patient has trouble inspiring
The lung cancer patient cannot inspire air very well
Common Curiosities
Is inspiration more related to emotions than empowerment?
Yes, inspiration typically deals more with emotional and intellectual stimulation, while empowerment is about practical enablement.
What does it mean to empower someone?
To provide someone with the means, authority, or opportunity to do something they previously could not do.
Can a person be inspired and empowered at the same time?
Yes, one can be inspired to think of a new idea and empowered with the resources to execute that idea.
What does it mean to inspire someone?
To evoke or instill a feeling or idea in someone that motivates them to do something creative or beneficial.
How can a teacher inspire and empower their students?
A teacher can inspire through engaging stories and presentations, and empower by providing knowledge, tools, and opportunities.
Which is more important in leadership, inspiring or empowering?
Both are crucial; inspiring for vision and motivation, and empowering for giving teams the tools to succeed.
How does empowerment affect a community?
It strengthens the community by enabling individuals to contribute effectively and make informed decisions.
What is an example of a situation where someone might feel inspired?
Witnessing a historic achievement, such as a moon landing, can inspire individuals.
What is an example of a situation where someone might be empowered?
Receiving a scholarship that enables attending college is a form of empowerment.
Does empowerment require external resources?
Yes, empowerment typically involves the provision of external resources, authority, or knowledge.
Can a person inspire themselves?
Yes, individuals can inspire themselves by setting personal goals or reflecting on their achievements.
What role does inspiration play in innovation?
Inspiration is often the initial spark for innovative ideas and approaches.
Can a person empower themselves?
Self-empowerment is possible through self-education, skill development, and decision-making.
Do artists typically aim to inspire or empower?
Most artists aim to inspire by provoking thoughts and feelings through their work.
What is a key difference in the outcomes of inspiration and empowerment?
Inspiration affects thoughts and feelings, while empowerment affects capabilities and actions.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
