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 If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025 Business leaders continue to host events along East Colfax Avenue to boost the morale (and sales) of restaurants and boutiques impaired by ongoing construction of the Bus Rapid Transit line. John Wenzel, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025 The amendment should define specific criteria for incapacity, including mental illness, cognitive decline, substance abuse, or any condition that substantially impairs judgment or decision-making capacity. Lynn Schmidt, Twin Cities, 19 Sep. 2025 Poor or inconsistent sleep, on the other hand, can impair both learning and recall. Daryl Austin, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impair
Verb
  • Police in England said one of the two Jewish community members killed and one of the victims injured during an attack at a synagogue on Yom Kippur are now believed to have been struck by police gunfire as officers tried to stop the attacker.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The kids associate helicopters with life flights to the local hospital, a sign that someone has been seriously injured, Cornelison said.
    John Wisely, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, people familiar with the investigation told me that Khan has devoted much of his defense to convincing investigators that Israel and its allies are exploiting the accuser in order to damage him and the court.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
  • This common strain releases a toxin that can damage blood vessels in the intestines and kidneys, which can cause serious complications like kidney damage.
    Brandi Jones, Health, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What little momentum the Broncos created was frequently marred by penalties, and a third-down sack had ruined a scoring chance in the first half.
    Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The show was marred only by an audio mix that dimmed Coleman’s evocative voice amid a wash of instruments — at least from this reviewer’s spot in the Fox — but the Red Clay Strays’ impact shone through nevertheless.
    Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • For investors, even opposition threats of repeal weaken confidence by raising doubts about long-term policy stability.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • While his core supporters remain loyal, sustained disapproval among the broader public could weaken his leverage in negotiations with Congress and erode confidence in his leadership.
    Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Its lackluster response allowed Israel to cripple the Axis of Resistance, batter Hezbollah in September and October 2024, position itself to aid in the fall of the Assad regime in December, then directly strike Iran in June, killing dozens of top leaders.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The incident highlights how cyberattacks can cripple businesses, resulting in production shortages.
    Senior Reporter, PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This ultimately hurts the American people, the people who pay their salaries.
    Nicole Russell, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
  • But the sale also diminishes some hopes that Berkshire would buy Oxy in its entirety, potentially hurting the stock.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While grappling with a hamstring injury, Chourio remains compromised on the bases.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • In diseases like Alzheimer’s, this delicate system, particularly the blood-brain barrier, becomes compromised.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And trust—the most precious resource in any health crisis—will continue to erode.
    Dr. Nikki Romanik, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
  • For Allen, this legal tool disproportionately undermines Black communities, eroding generational wealth and disconnecting families from their neighborhoods.
    Essence, Essence, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impair. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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