IMPAIRMENT Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

impairment

noun

Definition of impairment

as in disability

a condition in which a part of your body or mind is damaged and does not work well Her mother had a hearing impairment that had become worse with age.

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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 impairment Police said in a social media post that officers contacted the man at the scene and observed signs of possible impairment from a central nervous system stimulant. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The cause of the crash is not known, but police believe impairment might have been a factor, according to MSP. — CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 Accessibility for those with mobility impairments Two of the villas—one Dune One-Bedroom Pool Villa and one Dune Two-Bedroom Pool Villa—are wheelchair accessible. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Residents took part alongside professional actors playing people with cognitive impairments. — Elissa Suh, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for impairment

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impairment

Noun

Hosted by comedian and disability advocate Tina Friml, the Darcys awarded Geri Jewell with the Legacy Award and Vincent Rutley with the Christopher Reeve Emerging Talent Award.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Someone could request relief from the zoning standards to make housing available to people with disabilities, the report says.

— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of disability

Noun

The ship’s 21 crew members were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
His injuries were deemed non-life-threatening, and police said he is being taken to a Dallas-area hospital for further treatment.

— Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of injury

Noun

These can cause severe scarring or disablement and may lead to amputations.

— Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Playing Arnie, the younger brother to Gilbert (Johnny Depp), DiCaprio doesn’t permit his character to be a simple, adorable variation on disablement.

— Tim Grierson, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025

Definition of disablement

Noun

The region's head said earlier Friday that there had been an attack on the town, but that there had been no damage.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Darren Bailey, the Republican nominee for governor, criticized Pritzker for taking too long to respond to the storms, which did considerable damage to several areas, including the southern suburbs.

— Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of damage

Browse Nearby Words

impairing

impairment

impairments

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“Impairment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impairment. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of impairment

noun

Example Sentences

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