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
Research also increasingly suggests that a healthy gut microbiome supports a healthy brain; imbalances in the gut microbiome or certain pro-inflammatory bacteria have been linked to cognitive impairments and depression and anxiety.
—
Kathleen Felton, Time, 9 June 2026
According to investigators, the driver, later identified as 40-year-old Victor Rivas, showed signs of impairment during a roadside DWI investigation.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Studies show aerobic activity during midlife can reduce your risk of dementia and cognitive impairment later in life.
—Brittany Dube, Health, 9 June 2026
The driver, identified as Rivas, showed signs of impairment, state police alleged, and fled as troopers checked him out for a potential DWI arrest.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
Kathleen Felton, Time, 9 June 2026
According to investigators, the driver, later identified as 40-year-old Victor Rivas, showed signs of impairment during a roadside DWI investigation.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Studies show aerobic activity during midlife can reduce your risk of dementia and cognitive impairment later in life.
—Brittany Dube, Health, 9 June 2026
The driver, identified as Rivas, showed signs of impairment, state police alleged, and fled as troopers checked him out for a potential DWI arrest.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for impairment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impairment
Noun
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In South Asian households, a child’s disability triggers a specific kind of family crisis that most American clinicians are not trained to recognize.—
Ritu Goel,
STAT,
15 June 2026
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For many historians, Pennhurst serves as a reminder of how society once approached disability care and how those systems often failed the people they were intended to help.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Vegas played much of the night without center William Karlsson, who was being checked out on the bench for an apparent upper-body injury.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
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Firefighters contained all four fires reported in the area, and no structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 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
Noun
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Funding is needed imminently to stabilize the building, which is suffering from a leaky roof and water damage and whose upper walls are at risk of collapsing.—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
IndyStar,
21 Aug. 2025
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Totals in the report do not include infrastructure needs related to damage from Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee.—
Vivian Jones,
The Tennessean,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impairment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impairment. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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