Meaning & use
key enablers
Last updated
Meanings
nounpluralbusiness
The people, systems, or resources that make it possible for a plan or organization to succeed.
Grammar: Always plural in this business sense; the singular 'key enabler' refers to one such person or thing.
Patterns
- key enablers of something
- key enablers for doing something
- identify key enablers
The report identified reliable power and good roads as key enablers of growth.
Managers are the key enablers who turn strategy into daily action.
Training and clear data are key enablers for the new sales plan.
nounpluraltechnical
People or tools that allow a particular activity or technology to work or spread.
Grammar: Used with 'of' or 'for' to name what is being made possible.
Patterns
- key enablers of something
- act as key enablers
Cheap sensors were key enablers of the smart-home boom.
Open standards act as key enablers for smaller software firms.
Word forms
| singular | key enabler |
|---|
Common combinations
- key enablers of growth
- Better ports were key enablers of growth in the region.
- key enablers for success
- Trust and clear goals are key enablers for success.
- identify key enablers
- The team met to identify key enablers and remove obstacles.
- act as key enablers
- Fast internet and cheap phones act as key enablers for online shops.
- key enablers and barriers
- The study lists key enablers and barriers to change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- drivers
- 'Drivers' are forces that push something forward, while 'key enablers' are the conditions or people that make it possible.
- facilitators
- 'Facilitators' stresses people who help a process run smoothly; 'key enablers' is broader and can include systems and resources.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: key enablers or key players?
key enablers vs key players
'Key players' are the important people or firms in a field; 'key enablers' are what make their success possible.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'key enablers' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Key enablers' is a plural noun meaning the things that make success possible, so option 1 fits. Option 0 is wrong because a storm blocks progress rather than enabling it; options 2 and 3 use the phrase as a verb or with the wrong singular/plural form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “key enablers”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.