impair

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 Each has a private patio, but they are slightly raised off the ground, and much less ideal for the mobility impaired. Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2025 In particular, smoking, vaping, drinking alcohol, skipping sleep, using recreational drugs (like marijuana), and downing a ton of sugar may all contribute to an excess of those free-wheeling free radicals and impair your body’s ability to defend against them. Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 Apr. 2025 Research suggests chronic stress might even accelerate cancer progression by impairing your body’s immune defenses and creating conditions that encourage cancer cell growth. Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025 That could impair forecast accuracy, disrupt international climate data exchange, and reduce the world's capacity to monitor environmental trends and prepare for severe weather events. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impair
Verb
  • The spill killed 11 people and injured 17 others as 210 million gallons of crude oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico (recently renamed by the U.S. government as Gulf of America) for a total of 87 days.
    Terry Collins, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Memorial at Florida State University after a fatal shooting killed two people and injured several others.
    Kati Weis, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Arson – To unlawfully and intentionally damage or attempt to damage any real or personal property of another person or entity by fire or incendiary device.
    Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Mineral extraction has damaging social consequences in developing countries, where the impoverished are often compelled to work in unsafe and unhygienic conditions.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • His rookie season was marred by an uneven second half, which was hindered by hand and foot injuries.
    Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 25 Apr. 2025
  • His final collegiate season was marred by a shoulder injury and insufficient QB play, but Loveland still led the Wolverines in receptions (56), receiving yards (582) and receiving TDs (five).
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • As more state legislation is passed that weakens or eliminates longstanding fire and life safety codes, the need for young workers who are trained and passionate about reversing these trends is high.
    Jim Pauley, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • The pests set about sucking the sap from grape roots, slowly weakening them and opening wounds that invited disease.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.
    Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
  • Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.
    Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2023
Verb
  • Eleven people were killed and at least 20 more hurt in a , police said Sunday.
    Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Self-righteousness shrouds our refusal to let hurt fade from recall.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers some suggestions to those struggling: Don't compromise the truth for empty promises.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The breach did not compromise Hertz’s internal systems directly but involved data that had been shared with the vendor as part of its operational workflow.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The other is a more nebulous worry that programmable money, by definition, erodes individual autonomy.
    Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • There is no question that high tariffs will erode Chinese exporters’ access to the U.S. market.
    Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impair. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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