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
An officer trained to recognize impairment in drivers under the influence of drugs noted that while in detention, Clausen was unable to follow instructions or safely perform tests to assess possible impairment.
—Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
In just people with the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s who had mild cognitive impairment, however, the pill appeared to slow memory decline by 50% and to stop nearly all daily cognitive decline.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
But the true effect of ALZ-801 is hard to quantify because of the relatively small number of participants in the group with mild cognitive impairment.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
What the team found was that always or frequently listening to music was associated with the greatest benefits, with a 39% lower incidence of dementia and 17% lower incidence of cognitive impairment.
—New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impairment
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Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025
In just people with the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s who had mild cognitive impairment, however, the pill appeared to slow memory decline by 50% and to stop nearly all daily cognitive decline.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
But the true effect of ALZ-801 is hard to quantify because of the relatively small number of participants in the group with mild cognitive impairment.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
What the team found was that always or frequently listening to music was associated with the greatest benefits, with a 39% lower incidence of dementia and 17% lower incidence of cognitive impairment.
—New Atlas, 27 Oct. 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 5 Nov. 2025.
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