as in disability
a condition in which a part of your body or mind is damaged and does not work well
Her mother had a hearing impairment that had become worse with age.
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Recent Examples of impairment
Authorities noted there was no indication of alcohol use, but said the arrest was based on signs of other possible impairment.
—
Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
The pass also covers entrance and day-use fees at federal recreation sites, including national parks, for those with physical, mental, or sensory impairments.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 28 Mar. 2026
No citations were issued because there were no witnesses on the scene, nor evidence of impairment.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Officials said at the time there were no signs of impairment, although that finding caused some backlash.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2026
The pass also covers entrance and day-use fees at federal recreation sites, including national parks, for those with physical, mental, or sensory impairments.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 28 Mar. 2026
No citations were issued because there were no witnesses on the scene, nor evidence of impairment.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Officials said at the time there were no signs of impairment, although that finding caused some backlash.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impairment
Noun
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The problem is that people with disabilities and chronic conditions start with a lower QALY score by definition.—
James Hart,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
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Students with disabilities could fall through the cracks For many children, schools are the first point of contact with public services such as nutrition programs, healthcare, language learning and counseling.—
Jonaki Mehta,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Authorities are working to identify the owner of a dog that entered a Midlothian home and attacked a 1‑year‑old child and an adult, leaving them bloodied and the child hospitalized with severe injuries.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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But the real loss is the latest injury.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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These can cause severe scarring or disablement and may lead to amputations.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
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Playing Arnie, the younger brother to Gilbert (Johnny Depp), DiCaprio doesn’t permit his character to be a simple, adorable variation on disablement.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The attack caused material damage but no casualties, and the residence was empty at the time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Photos shared on social media shows the massive slabs of rock fell just past a blind curve and the SUV sustained major front-end damage.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impairment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impairment. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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