enabler
gb/ɪnˈeɪblɚ/ us/ɪnˈeɪblɚ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
role
1
person who enables harmful behavior
A person who helps someone continue bad behavior.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is an enabler (for [someone])
Common mistake:
Learners may think an enabler is always positive; in common use it is often negative.
Synonyms
codependent (Often used when the relationship pattern is mutual and unhealthy.)
|
accomplice (Stronger; suggests more deliberate involvement in wrongdoing.)
Antonyms
intervener (Someone who steps in to stop harmful behavior and create consequences.)
Collocations
stop being an enabler
|an enabler for an addict
|family enabler
|unwitting enabler
|emotional enabler
|classic enabler
|play the enabler
|enable destructive behavior
|enable an addiction
|enable bad habits
Themes
relationships
|health
|psychology
|addiction
Examples
- His friends realized they were being enablers by always paying his rent when he ran out of money.
- She didn’t want to be an enabler, so she stopped making excuses for his drinking at work.
- In therapy, the family talked about how to set boundaries and avoid becoming enablers.
Learner examples
- I don’t want to be an enabler.
- An enabler can make a problem worse.
Noun
B2
entity
2
thing that makes something possible
Something that helps something happen.
Usage pattern:
an enabler of [something] / an enabler for [something]
Common mistake:
In this neutral meaning, it refers to what makes something possible, not necessarily a person.
Synonyms
facilitator (Emphasizes making a process easier or smoother.)
|
catalyst (Emphasizes triggering or speeding up change.)
Antonyms
barrier (Something that prevents something from happening.)
Collocations
key enabler
|major enabler
|primary enabler
|an enabler of growth
|an enabler of innovation
|an enabler of success
|an enabler for change
|cost enabler
|enabler of progress
|powerful enabler
Themes
daily_life
|business
|technology
|education
Examples
- Reliable childcare can be a major enabler for parents returning to work.
- Fast internet is an enabler of remote learning in many communities.
- Trust is an important enabler of good teamwork.
Learner examples
- Good tools are an enabler of better work.
Noun
business
C1
role
3
support function helping others deliver
A team or person at work that helps others succeed.
Usage pattern:
[team/department] is an enabler (for [group/process])
Synonyms
support function (More direct; highlights providing services that others rely on.)
|
partner (Emphasizes collaboration rather than a purely supporting role.)
Antonyms
bottleneck (Something or someone that slows down work instead of enabling it.)
Collocations
business enabler
|strategic enabler
|an enabler for sales
|an enabler for operations
|an enabler across the organization
|enablement and enablers
|growth enablers
|capability enablers
|people enablers
|process enablers
Themes
business
|work
|management
Examples
- IT is an enabler for nearly every department, from finance to customer service.
- The new training team was created as an enabler to help managers coach more effectively.
- Clear policies can be enablers when they remove uncertainty and speed up decisions.
Learner examples
- Our HR team is an enabler for employees.
Grammar
Dictionary form
enabler
IPA
GB/ɪnˈeɪblɚ/
US/ɪnˈeɪblɚ/
Syllables & stress
en - a - bler (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (a)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: enabler
- Plural: enablers
Word family
Expressions
enabler-in-chief
1/ɪnˈeɪblɚ ˈɪn t͡ʃˈif/
fixed phrase
informal
main person who enables
The main person who allows bad behavior.
Examples
- In the article, the manager is described as the enabler-in-chief of the toxic workplace culture.
- His brother was the enabler-in-chief, always bailing him out after trouble.
- Critics called the committee the enabler-in-chief because it kept approving the same failing plan.
key enabler
1/kˈi ɪnˈeɪblɚ/
fixed phrase
business
crucial factor that makes possible
The main thing that helps something happen.
Examples
- Affordable batteries are a key enabler of electric vehicles.
- Good leadership was a key enabler of the company’s turnaround.
- Data sharing is a key enabler of better public services.
technology enabler
1/tɛknˈɑləd͡ʒi ɪnˈeɪblɚ/
fixed phrase
business
tech that makes something possible
A technology that helps something work or happen.
Examples
- Cloud computing is a technology enabler for remote collaboration.
- AI is often discussed as a technology enabler for faster customer support.
- Secure identity systems can be a technology enabler for online services.
unwitting enabler
1/ʌnwˈɪtɪŋ ɪnˈeɪblɚ/
fixed phrase
enabler without realizing it
A person who helps a bad situation by accident.
Examples
- By covering for him at work, she became an unwitting enabler of his drinking.
- Some well-meaning relatives can be unwitting enablers when they keep lending money.
- The report warns that customers may become unwitting enablers of scams by sharing verification codes.