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
People with severe impairment in one arm must rely almost entirely on their other arm for daily activities, such as eating, dressing and household tasks.
—Candice Maenza, The Conversation, 2 Feb. 2026
It is designed to help people with post-stroke speech impairment communicate naturally again without surgery or brain implants.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
The two treatments are designed to replace the genes broken in mucopolysaccharidosis type I and type II, also known as Hurler and Hunter syndromes, devastating and fatal rare diseases that cause a string of cognitive, cardiac, and other impairments.
—Jason Mast, STAT, 28 Jan. 2026
Accessibility for those with mobility impairments Good.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
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Candice Maenza, The Conversation, 2 Feb. 2026
It is designed to help people with post-stroke speech impairment communicate naturally again without surgery or brain implants.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026
The two treatments are designed to replace the genes broken in mucopolysaccharidosis type I and type II, also known as Hurler and Hunter syndromes, devastating and fatal rare diseases that cause a string of cognitive, cardiac, and other impairments.
—Jason Mast, STAT, 28 Jan. 2026
Accessibility for those with mobility impairments Good.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 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 4 Feb. 2026.
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