as in damaging
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
already impaired by a crack, the windshield shattered upon impact with the baseball
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 impairing
By impairing onboard cameras and targeting optics, the platform offers a non-kinetic method of mitigating UAV threats without physically destroying the aircraft.
—
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
These compounds may block iodine transport to the thyroid, impairing thyroid function.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Mar. 2026
This leads to worsening loss of movement, impairing the ability to walk, use the hands and arms, speak, chew, and swallow.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Chronic stress strains your heart, impedes immune function, interferes with digestion, even risks impairing focus and memory.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026
Studies will examine both the therapeutic and impairing effects of cannabis, psilocybin, MDMA and alcohol.
—Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Even a single variant can disrupt protein function by impairing subunit assembly and destabilizing the overall structure.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The commerce clause allows Congress to deal with interstate commerce and seeks to prevent states from impairing it.
—Ford Turner Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Just because a warrantless civil immigration arrest, governed by § 1357(a), may lead to detention or other consequences governed by §§ 1221-1231 does not mean that an injunction implicating § 1357(a)(2) is effectively an injunction impairing the operation of the covered sections.
—New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
These compounds may block iodine transport to the thyroid, impairing thyroid function.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Mar. 2026
This leads to worsening loss of movement, impairing the ability to walk, use the hands and arms, speak, chew, and swallow.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Chronic stress strains your heart, impedes immune function, interferes with digestion, even risks impairing focus and memory.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026
Studies will examine both the therapeutic and impairing effects of cannabis, psilocybin, MDMA and alcohol.
—Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Even a single variant can disrupt protein function by impairing subunit assembly and destabilizing the overall structure.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The commerce clause allows Congress to deal with interstate commerce and seeks to prevent states from impairing it.
—Ford Turner Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2025
Just because a warrantless civil immigration arrest, governed by § 1357(a), may lead to detention or other consequences governed by §§ 1221-1231 does not mean that an injunction implicating § 1357(a)(2) is effectively an injunction impairing the operation of the covered sections.
—New York Times, 2 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impairing
Verb
-
Police say the semi truck driver went through a median wall, severely damaging it.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Photos on local media and social networks showed fallen trees in Zagreb, pulled out by their roots, some blocking streets or damaging parked cars.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The order vacated guilty verdicts from the 2018 trial of Renardo Williams, who was convicted of killing Bethgy Catora and shooting and injuring Mayklens Francois during a drug deal gone wrong.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Rodriguez landed on his knees, injuring his shoulder, and was hoisting himself back up when Hernandez allegedly targeted Williams, according to prosecutors.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, along with Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, were ejected for fighting, marring what was an intriguing game between the top team in the Eastern Conference and the one featuring the NBA’s longest current win streak.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Yet, Scolnick said if there were any questions about compromising safety, a supervisor would ask a controller to stay later for overtime.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
-
There’s evidently a limit to how far an actor will go in compromising their ability to portray a more youthful person.—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
All three largely believe the war caused the high gas and grocery prices that are crippling the nation’s economy.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
This creates permanent skin damage around the well, fundamentally destroying its natural permeability and crippling its long-term productivity.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Seniors are the most reliable midterm voters in the country, and with the 2026 elections approaching and affordability already their top concern, weakening this program is a risk Republicans should not be taking.—
Joe Hardy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
However, rejecting the goal of citizenship verification altogether risks weakening public confidence in the system.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impairing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impairing. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
