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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Recent Examples of impairment
Executive function impairment can be subtle and elusive especially when compared with other cognitive domains like memory and language.
—
Anand Kumar, STAT, 21 Apr. 2026
Combining ease of use with the ability to fit the sensors in beanies, caps, and other wearable headpieces could make Sabi an exciting opportunity for those with speech impairments.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Officials added that neither speed nor impairment appeared to be a factor in the crash.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
These include unreported physical and mental impairments, housing insecurity, and a lack of high school diplomas and identification documents.
—Taylor Sisk, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
Anand Kumar, STAT, 21 Apr. 2026
Combining ease of use with the ability to fit the sensors in beanies, caps, and other wearable headpieces could make Sabi an exciting opportunity for those with speech impairments.
—Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
Officials added that neither speed nor impairment appeared to be a factor in the crash.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
These include unreported physical and mental impairments, housing insecurity, and a lack of high school diplomas and identification documents.
—Taylor Sisk, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impairment
Noun
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Accessibility The hotel is fully compliant with ADA standards, and has five accessible Deluxe rooms designed to accommodate guests with limited mobility and disabilities.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
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Will County has about a 4% unemployment rate, but the unemployment rate for certain demographics, such as individuals with disabilities or African American men, is much higher, Portlock said.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Thunder earned a bit of a break and awaits two teams battling injuries in the Lakers and Rockets.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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In 2015, six Baltimore police officers were charged with felonies ranging from assault to murder in connection with the death of Freddie Gray, a Black man who’d suffered a spinal injury while riding in a police van.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Noun
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These can cause severe scarring or disablement and may lead to amputations.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
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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
Noun
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China may also benefit from the reputational damage the war has imposed on the US, Yacoubian said.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
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The company’s goal is to replace sprinklers, which are effective at stopping fires but can also do significant water damage to a property.—
Cyrus Farivar,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impairment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impairment. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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