impaired
[im-paird]
- 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.
Show More
Origin of impaired
impair1
[im-pair]
- to make or cause to become worse; diminish in ability, value, excellence, etc.; weaken or damage: to impair one's health; to impair negotiations.
Show More
- to grow or become worse; lessen.
Show More
- Archaic. impairment.
Show More
Origin of impair1
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
Synonyms
See more synonyms for impair on Thesaurus.com1. See injure.
Antonyms
1. repair.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for impaired
Contemporary Examples
Girma realized that law was her best tool to get equal footing for herself and the wider population of impaired Americans.
TEDx Talks Have a Disability Problem—but This Incredible Young Woman Is Working to Change ThatNina Strochlic
November 5, 2014
Without independence, both in fact and in appearance, objectivity is impaired.
As it does so, however, it is impaired and heavily influenced by its own horrific failings of nearly a century ago.
AmEx announced Thursday that its earnings would be impaired by three major charges.
They are, he said, serial huggers who often have impaired relationships with same-sex companions.
Historical Examples
Lydia's perfectly concrete faith was not impaired in the least.
The PrisonerAlice Brown
About the last year his sight, which had been impaired for many years, failed.
The Standard OratoriosGeorge P. Upton
Time cannot change it, nor can it be impaired by the decrees of tyranny or of justice.
Stories of ComedyVarious
The bey was always pleasant with me, but my influence was impaired.
The Nabob, Volume 1 (of 2)Alphonse Daudet
So his judgment is impaired and the moral dignity of his soul debased.
Aims and Aids for Girls and Young WomenGeorge Sumner Weaver
impair
- (tr) to reduce or weaken in strength, quality, etchis hearing was impaired by an accident
Show More
Word Origin
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.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper