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 As a musician, being impaired can inspire creativity. Jeff Pearlman, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025 Lead is a neurotoxin that impairs brain development. Ben Smith, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025 In modern humans, lead is a neurotoxin known to impair cognition, learning, and social behavior. New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2025 Some research suggests that these chemicals can impair fertility in both animals and humans. ABC News, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impair
Verb
  • Earlier, the agency said a man in his 70s was killed by a falling tree in the southern coastal town of Marigot, while five people were injured in the Artibonite region.
    Josh Cradduck, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Unless another boy was injured, a boy with a father who resembled me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Cuomo has sought to cast Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblymember, as a naive candidate whose agenda would damage the city.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The three suspects damaged property and smashed several iPads taken from a special education classroom, according to a Facebook post by the Chandler Police Department.
    Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Advertisement While the commercial supply of goods has improved since the cease-fire deal, the flow of humanitarian aid continues to be marred by bureaucracy, delays, and blockages.
    Anna Halford, Time, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Martin starred as one of the NFL’s top running backs a decade ago, in a career that was also marred by injuries and off-field challenges.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Losing him for the entire World Series would weaken their already-thin bullpen, and force Roberts to get creative in high-leverage situations after his starting pitcher has been removed.
    Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • After accounting for lifestyle variables like exercise, the effects weakened a bit as, for example, more active people tend to spend more time outdoors.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Despite possessing some of the world’s largest oil reserves, mismanagement and falling global prices have crippled the economy.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • On December 7, 1941, 353 Japanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and crippling much of the Pacific Fleet.
    Big Think, Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But something always hurts that late in a marathon.
    Nicholas Thompson, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The perception of Trump clearing the way for the Ellisons in the US could hurt them in other markets, sources said.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Does the music feel lesser or compromised to you, or are the critics being unfair or just misunderstanding the new album?
    Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Whether King Charles and Prince William are willing to compromise on that to get Andrew out of Royal Lodge remains to be seen.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Attendees were given 3 minutes to speak, same as in the commissioners court, and primarily spoke about jail deaths and the freedom of speech being eroded.
    Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Even as streaming has eroded the ranks of linear viewers in primetime, sports has built new bulwarks.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Impair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impair. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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