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 said impairment of any kind was not believed to be a factor in the crash.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
The exact cause of the initial collision is still under investigation but no impairment of either driver is suspected at this time, police said.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026
Brandt also notes that subjective cognitive impairment — the participants’ personal sense of changes in their memory, attention, visual and spatial cognition, and executive function — was the focus of the study.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Mercury contamination is especially dangerous for children and can cause neurological impairments in infants.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
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Adam Harrington, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
The exact cause of the initial collision is still under investigation but no impairment of either driver is suspected at this time, police said.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026
Brandt also notes that subjective cognitive impairment — the participants’ personal sense of changes in their memory, attention, visual and spatial cognition, and executive function — was the focus of the study.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Feb. 2026
Mercury contamination is especially dangerous for children and can cause neurological impairments in infants.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 20 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 28 Feb. 2026.
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