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Enabling: The Behavior of an Enabler
Enable has a number of senses, most of which are some variant on allowing someone (or something, such as enabling cookies on a computer) to do something. In the past several decades, enable has also started to take on a new associated sense in the field of addiction studies, where enabling is viewed as giving misguided support to a person with some substance-abuse issue. A person who facilitates the self-destructive behavior of another is referred to as an enabler.
Examples of enable in a Sentence
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2024
This in turn enabled law firms to opine to their clients that ESG investing was fully compatible with the trustee’s fiduciary obligations.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 30 May 2024
The device enabled her to go home from the hospital to wait for her new heart.
—Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 29 May 2024
Griffin’s gift will enable the school to grow to about 425 students and 55 faculty and staff.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 29 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for enable 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Enable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enable. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
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