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
For example, a hardcore alcoholic probably had some kind of kidney or liver damage and that impairment keeps the disability checks rolling in.
—Tom Margenau, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
Monthly payments range from roughly $180 at the low end to nearly $5,000 for the most severely disabled, with higher amounts tied to the number of dependents and depth of impairment.
—Steven Beynon, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, suffered from various medical conditions, including visual impairment, with his attorney describing him as nearly blind and unable to speak English, CBS affiliate WIVB reported.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Writers suffer from a cognitive impairment that limits their ability to see flaws in their prose.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
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Tom Margenau, Dallas Morning News, 1 Mar. 2026
Monthly payments range from roughly $180 at the low end to nearly $5,000 for the most severely disabled, with higher amounts tied to the number of dependents and depth of impairment.
—Steven Beynon, ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, suffered from various medical conditions, including visual impairment, with his attorney describing him as nearly blind and unable to speak English, CBS affiliate WIVB reported.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Writers suffer from a cognitive impairment that limits their ability to see flaws in their prose.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
Cite this Entry
“Impairment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impairment. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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