impairment
noun
im·pair·ment
im-ˈper-mənt 
plural impairments
: the act of impairing something or the state or condition of being impaired : diminishment or loss of function or ability
… it does not help reverse the impairment of cognitive activity caused by diazepam …—
Corby Kummer
Corby KummerTrichloroethylene has been classified by EPA as a probable human carcinogen, although its primary effect is impairment of the central nervous system.—Chemical & Engineering News
Chemical & Engineering NewsPersons with hearing impairments can now get information about local parks and their facilities by calling the recently installed TDD phone numbers within the Parks Department.—Maryland Magazine
Maryland MagazineStudies show that roughly 11 percent of all kindergarteners have speech or language impairments …—The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union-News
The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union-NewsExamples of impairment in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Police have said the pickup driver did not show signs of impairment and is cooperating with the investigation.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 4 July 2025
The result is that people are unable to participate not simply because of an impairment, but because of an environment that does not accommodate or appreciate their unique attributes.
—Mark Salzer, The Conversation, 3 July 2025
Some people may not know that severity in autism is based on impairments in social communication and restricted repetitive patterns of behavior.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 2 July 2025
Though it's most commonly observed in people with ADHD, Sarkis said, time blindness can manifest in anyone with impairment in executive functions stemming from the frontal lobe area of their brain, which is responsible for personality, judgment, self-control and more.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 30 June 2025
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Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 4 July 2025
The result is that people are unable to participate not simply because of an impairment, but because of an environment that does not accommodate or appreciate their unique attributes.
—Mark Salzer, The Conversation, 3 July 2025
Some people may not know that severity in autism is based on impairments in social communication and restricted repetitive patterns of behavior.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 2 July 2025
Though it's most commonly observed in people with ADHD, Sarkis said, time blindness can manifest in anyone with impairment in executive functions stemming from the frontal lobe area of their brain, which is responsible for personality, judgment, self-control and more.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for impairment
Cite this Entry
“Impairment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impairment. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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