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impaired

[ im-paird ]
/ ɪmˈpɛərd /
||
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adjective

weakened, diminished, or damaged: impaired hearing; 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.

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RELATED WORDS

damaged, harmed, defective, flawed, debilitated, hurt, down, broken, spoiled, busted, marred, imperfect, kaput, unsound

Nearby words

  1. impactful,
  2. impaction,
  3. impactite,
  4. impactive,
  5. impair,
  6. impairment,
  7. impala,
  8. impale,
  9. impalement,
  10. impalpable

Origin of impaired

impair + -ed2
Related formsun·im·paired, adjective

impair

1
[ im-pair ]
/ ɪmˈpɛər /

verb (used with object)

to make or cause to become worse; diminish in ability, value, excellence, etc.; weaken or damage: to impair one's health; to impair negotiations.

verb (used without object)

to grow or become worse; lessen.

noun

Archaic. impairment.

Origin of impair

1
1250–1300; Middle English empairen, empeiren to make worse < Middle French empeirer, equivalent to em- im-1 + peirer to make worse < Late Latin pējōrāre, equivalent to Latin pējōr-, stem of pējor worse + -ā- thematic vowel + -re infinitive suffix; cf. pejorative
ANTONYMS FOR impair
1. repair.
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Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for impaired

British Dictionary definitions for impaired

impair

/ (ɪmˈpɛə) /

verb

(tr) to reduce or weaken in strength, quality, etchis hearing was impaired by an accident
Derived Formsimpairable, adjectiveimpairer, nounimpairment, noun

Word Origin for impair

C14: from Old French empeirer to make worse, from Late Latin pējorāre, from Latin pejor worse; see pejorative
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for impaired

impair

v.

late 14c., earlier ampayre, apeyre (c.1300), from Old French empeirier (Modern French empirer), from Vulgar Latin *impeiorare "make worse," from assimilated form of in- "into, in" (see in- (2)) + Late Latin peiorare "make worse" (see pejorative). In reference to driving under the influence of alcohol, first recorded 1951 in Canadian English. Related: Impaired; impairing.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper