impair

Definition of impairnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word impair distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of impair are damage, harm, hurt, injure, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

In what contexts can damage take the place of impair?

The meanings of damage and impair largely overlap; however, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When might harm be a better fit than impair?

While the synonyms harm and impair are close in meaning, harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When could hurt be used to replace impair?

The words hurt and impair are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When is injure a more appropriate choice than impair?

Although the words injure and impair have much in common, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

When would mar be a good substitute for impair?

While in some cases nearly identical to impair, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impair Additionally, the public spaces are wheelchair friendly, accessibility kits are available for hearing- and visually-impaired guests, and there are two elevators that visit all floors, including the lower-level gym and pinball area. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 But in her closing argument, Grossman‘s attorney Esther Holm told jurors that Grossman was not impaired by alcohol or valium; was traveling about 52 mph, around seven mph over the speed limit; was not racing Erickson; and never tried to flee the scene. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026 Trevino faces a charge of capital murder while attempting to commit robbery and also faces a charge of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair, according to Tarrant County Jail records. Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026 This can impair your bone strength. Ruth Jessen Hickman, Health, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for impair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impair
Verb
  • Additionally, a jury found Pasqual guilty of first-degree residential burglary and multiple counts of injuring a spouse, cohabitant, fiance's, boyfriend, girlfriend or child's parent.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
  • Overnight into Tuesday, waves of drones and missiles struck the capital, killing and injuring civilians and damaging homes, businesses and public buildings.
    Polina Lytvynova, NPR, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Firefighters had to cut open the metal drop box to extinguish the fire, and numerous ballots inside were damaged, some charred beyond recognition.
    Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
  • Scientists theorize that exposing flowering tomato plants to temperatures below 50°F damages the flowers.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • But six years after NASA certified SpaceX to ferry crews to and from the ISS, Boeing’s Starliner still lacks approval for regular crew rotation flights after a 2024 test flight was marred by technical issues.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
  • In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • The Reserve Bank of Australia will likely focus on the strength of private demand before factoring in the conflict, alongside inflation risks stemming from weak productivity and rising unit labor costs, according to Stenner, who expects household consumption to weaken in the second quarter.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 June 2026
  • Critics counter that scarcity alone does not guarantee value if investor demand weakens.
    Sharon Wu, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • The protest largely crippled the country’s center, with highways closed and public transportation halted by the massive crowds in both Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv metro area.
    Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
  • Anxiety over ChatGPT and other emerging technology helped derail talks with both unions and the AMPTP in 2023, leading to crippling dual strikes.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • The ship reported two explosions and a fire onboard, that was subsequently put out, UKMTO said, adding that no crew were hurt.
    Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
  • According to Marcia, George was convinced he’d be laughed out of Hollywood because in the original script characters were running around and shooting at one another and nobody was getting hurt.
    Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • The great-grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic struck a defiant tone in an interview with CNN on Thursday, saying Iran shouldn’t compromise on its demands to end the war.
    Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 5 June 2026
  • But most importantly, Rebecca, the filmmaker, documentarian, screenwriter, novelist, and painter, who flows between various mediums and art forms, and won awards across all, creates her art without compromising kindness and morality.
    Damon Cardasis, IndieWire, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Given that nursing home costs can easily exceed tens of thousands of dollars annually — and often much more depending on location and level of care — those expenses can quickly erode a retirement nest egg.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 3 June 2026
  • Consequently, rising inflation has steadily eroded real purchasing power, leaving 59 percent of Americans without sufficient savings to absorb a minor financial shock, such as a $1,000 emergency.
    Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 2 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Impair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impair. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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