impair
1 Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
adjective
verb
Synonym Usage
See injure.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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impairernoun
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impairmentnoun
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nonimpairmentnoun
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preimpairmentnoun
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impairableadjective
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self-impairableadjective
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self-impairingadjective
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unimpairableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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impairsimple
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impairssimple
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have impairedperfect
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has impairedperfect
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am impairingprogressive
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are impairingprogressive
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is impairingprogressive
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have been impairingperfect progressive
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has been impairingperfect progressive
Past
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impairedsimple
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had impairedperfect
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was impairingprogressive
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were impairingprogressive
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had been impairingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
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”; cf. 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. )
Explanation
If you make bad decisions in the morning after drinking coffee, you might conclude that caffeine tends to impair your judgment. When you impair something, you damage it or make it work poorly. The root of the verb impair traces back to the Latin word pejorare, meaning “to make worse,” and that’s still what happens if you impair something. Whether it’s communication, visibility, or your marriage prospects, if you impair it, you make it worse. The word can be used for situations that describe something that has deteriorated, such as “Snow continued to impair driving conditions.”
Vocabulary lists containing impair
List 6
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 5
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United States v. Nixon (1974)
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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.
See Examples For:
Dementia is an umbrella term for debilitating symptoms that can result in memory loss and impair movement and daily life.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
They react when uncertainty becomes persistent enough to impair planning.
From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026
“Inadequate nutrition, particularly vitamin A deficiency, can impair the lining of the digestive tract, predisposing birds to inflammation and secondary illness.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026
She referenced research published earlier this month, which highlighted a "bi-directional relationship" in which mental health problems that "impair self-care behaviours" could cause diabetes complications, and in turn "further impair mental health".
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026
With a logic problem, asking people to explain themselves doesn’t impair their ability to come up with the answers.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
This impairs our ability to quickly shed excess heat and makes it harder to judge when our bodies are under burden, simply because we can't see as much sweat on our skin or clothing.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
High blood sugar impairs immune function and narrows vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood, making it harder for skin to heal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026
Such reactions can range from responses with “no clinical manifestations” to irritating rashes to life-threatening conditions such as anaphylactic shock, which constricts breathing and impairs motor function.
From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2026
Reasons include a person falling into a coma, a form of dementia like Alzheimer’s, head injury or a stroke that impairs their ability to think or express their wishes.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 27, 2026
This blindness impairs us in every act of communication.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
According to the Palo Alto police department, the other driver was uninjured, neither driver was impaired and no one was cited.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Rob Moulds, 57, from Birmingham, is visually impaired and uses a cane when walking.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Sponsors say most continuation vehicles aren’t intended for zombie funds, as many buyers in the secondary market aren’t focused on impaired assets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The court heard that Zambada suffered from several health conditions and would need treatment in custody, with Judge Cogan describing him as "drifting towards cognitively impaired."
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
This was the time of hygiene lectures, and of practicing blanket-baths on life-size models—Mrs. Mackintosh, Lady Chase, and baby George whose blandly impaired physique allowed him to double as a baby girl.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
Cedars-Sinai spokesperson Duke Helfand said the hospital would be unable to recruit and retain physicians, nurses, and specialists if the measure passed, dramatically impairing its ability to provide healthcare.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
The longer these companies leave addictive, impairing features in place, the more plaintiffs they’ll create.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
“In particular, how effective drones are in impairing production and transportation of crude via the Strait of Hormuz.”
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 28, 2026
Oneglia: Having deeper capital markets with a more developed pension sector can help finance some of Europe’s policy priorities, such as infrastructure, without impairing national budgets.
From Barron's ● Nov. 20, 2025
This is because the act of describing a face has the effect of impairing your otherwise effortless ability to subsequently recognize that face.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
