disempowering
Taking away control
Disempowering describes something that diminishes a person's sense of control, agency, or confidence.
A disempowering workplace undermines employees' ability to make decisions.
Disempowering messages tell people they can't succeed or don't matter: The constant criticism was deeply disempowering.
The opposite of empowering.
Supreme authority held
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
- suppressionForcible prevention or concealment
repression · micromanagement · authoritarian · overbearing · restrictive · dictatorial · tyrannical · autocratic
Weakening by covert means
- belittlingExpressing contempt or dismissiveness
- demeaningCausing loss of respect
- degradingLowering in worth
- humiliatingCausing painful embarrassment
devaluing · dismissing · patronizing · condescending · minimizing · trivializing · discrediting · delegitimizing
Open to attack
- defenselessWithout means to resist
- helplessUnable to act independently
- impotentLacking power or efficacy
- inadequateNot sufficient for purpose
dependent · paralyzed · overwhelmed · passive · resigned · stranded · incapacitated · trapped
Causing severe impairment
- enfeeblingCausing loss of strength
- sappingGradually draining vitality
- drainingDepleting one's reserves
- depletingProgressively using up
eroding · crippling · enervating · exhausting · devitalizing · impairing · incapacitating · demoralizing
domination
Supreme authority held
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- oppressionUnjust exercise of power
suppression · repression · micromanagement · authoritarian · overbearing · restrictive · dictatorial · tyrannical · autocratic · stifling
undermining
Weakening by covert means
- belittlingExpressing contempt or dismissiveness
- demeaningCausing loss of respect
- degradingLowering in worth
humiliating · devaluing · dismissing · patronizing · condescending · minimizing · trivializing · discrediting · delegitimizing · infantilizing
vulnerable
Open to attack
- defenselessWithout means to resist
- helplessUnable to act independently
- impotentLacking power or efficacy
inadequate · dependent · paralyzed · overwhelmed · passive · resigned · stranded · incapacitated · trapped · voiceless
debilitating
Causing severe impairment
- enfeeblingCausing loss of strength
- sappingGradually draining vitality
- drainingDepleting one's reserves
depleting · eroding · crippling · enervating · exhausting · devitalizing · impairing · incapacitating · demoralizing · destabilizing
- discriminationracism, systemic discrimination, Jim Crow laws, sexism, racial harassment
- overparentinghelicopter parenting, helicopter parent, overprotective, overprotection, overprotecting
disempoweringempowering
Giving authority or confidence
enabling · strengthening · liberating · enfranchising · authorizing
disempoweringempowering
Giving authority or confidence
uplifting · encouraging · affirming · inspiring · confidence-building
power, powerful, empower, powerless, empowered, empowering, powerlessness, empowerment, empowers