impaired
Americanadjective
-
weakened, diminished, or damaged.
to rebuild an impaired bridge.
-
functioning poorly or inadequately.
Consumption of alcohol results in an impaired driver.
-
deficient or incompetent (usually preceded by an adverb or noun).
morally impaired; sports-impaired.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of impaired
Explanation
When something is impaired, it's diminished or damaged. Someone who can't see very well has impaired sight. When something is broken and isn't working at 100%, it's impaired. People with impaired hearing are deaf, and people who are physically impaired have to use crutches or wheelchairs. Everyone who wears glasses or contact lenses has impaired vision. If you break your ankle, your ability to walk is impaired. And if something caused you to make a bad decision, you could say your judgment was impaired.
Vocabulary lists containing impaired
Hatchet
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "I"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Chapter 16: Toward Civil War
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Attorneys for Grossman and Erickson argued that, although the incident was tragic, there was no evidence that their clients were racing or impaired that would justify an award of hundreds of millions of dollars.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
"We recognise it was an accident, you know when young people play sometimes their sense of judgement is impaired either by excitement or by not understanding what is happening at that particular time."
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
On Friday, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel decided Hopper's fitness to practise had been impaired in relation to his convictions and sanctioned him to removal from the medical register.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
Boland says Bank of Montreal’s credit remained manageable, with the impaired provision for the credit losses ratio relatively stable on-quarter at 45 basis points.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
He’s so tall, too, that she has to crane her neck to make a safe turn because her visibility is impaired.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
