impair

¹

[im-pair]

verb (used with object)

1. to make or cause to become worse; diminish in ability, value, excellence, etc.; weaken or damage.

   to impair one's health;

   to impair negotiations.

   Antonyms: repair

verb (used without object)

1. to grow or become worse; lessen.

noun

1. Archaic.,  impairment.

impair

²

[an-per]

adjective

French.

1. noting any odd number, especially in roulette.

impair

/ ɪmˈpɛə /

verb

1. (tr) to reduce or weaken in strength, quality, etc

   his hearing was impaired by an accident

Other Word Forms

• impairment noun
• impairer noun
• impairable adjective
• nonimpairment noun
• preimpairment noun
• self-impairable adjective
• self-impairing adjective
• unimpairable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of impair¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English empairen, empeiren “to make worse,” from Middle French empeirer, from em- im- ¹ + peirer “to make worse” (from Late Latin pējōrāre, verb derivative of Latin pējor “worse”; pejoration )

Origin of impair²

First recorded in 1820–30; from French: literally, “odd,” from Latin impār “odd, unequal”; equivalent to im- ² ( def. ) + pair ² ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of impair¹

C14: from Old French empeirer to make worse, from Late Latin pējorāre, from Latin pejor worse; see _pejorative

Synonym Study

See injure.

Example Sentences

This decline can impair vision and contribute to AMD.

Read more on Science Daily

This light box learning tool uses contrasts to help encourage young kids with impaired vision develop awareness of objects, light and color.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Ms Longshaw said people who were colour-blind or visually impaired might find navigating the road a problem, and the scheme, however well-intentioned, was "a mess" .

Read more on BBC

Jones, who is visually impaired, sets aside more than $400 a month from his disability check to invest in a basket of stock funds, individual shares, real-estate investment trusts and cryptocurrencies.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The transaction is also unlikely to materially affect HSBC’s other key financial metrics, such as impaired loan ratio or provision coverage, they add.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• blunt 
• damage 
• debilitate 
• decrease 
• destroy 
• diminish 
• hurt 
• lessen 
• mar 
• prejudice 
• reduce 
• spoil 
• tarnish 
• undermine 
• weaken 
• worsen