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 people with severe motor impairment, the inability to express themselves with family and friends or request basic needs makes living difficult.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Nov. 2025
The release states that impairment and speed are being investigated as contributing factors in the crash.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Nov. 2025
The two-year study included more than 3,800 people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s, half of whom were randomly assigned to take a semaglutide pill every day, and half of whom took placebo.
—Alice Park, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
Novo Nordisk’s trials, called evoke and evoke+, involved 3,808 people aged 55 to 85 who had early-stage Alzheimer’s, classified as having mild cognitive impairment as a result of the disease.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impairment
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Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Nov. 2025
The release states that impairment and speed are being investigated as contributing factors in the crash.
—Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Nov. 2025
The two-year study included more than 3,800 people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s, half of whom were randomly assigned to take a semaglutide pill every day, and half of whom took placebo.
—Alice Park, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
Novo Nordisk’s trials, called evoke and evoke+, involved 3,808 people aged 55 to 85 who had early-stage Alzheimer’s, classified as having mild cognitive impairment as a result of the disease.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 24 Nov. 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 7 Dec. 2025.
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