IMPAIRS Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

impairs

verb

present tense third-person singular of impair

as in damages

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of already impaired by a crack, the windshield shattered upon impact with the baseball

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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 impairs That sounds simple, but leaders who are highly activated are often the least accurate at assessing their own state—the same activation that impairs judgment also impairs the ability to perceive that judgment is impaired. — Joy Nissen, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 The chronic disease, which impairs the body’s ability to properly regulate blood sugar, contributed to 94,445 deaths that year. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 Cold water shock impairs breathing and can overwhelm even strong swimmers within seconds. — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 28 June 2026 Aphasia impairs a person's ability to speak. — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 26 June 2026 Poor sleep impairs barrier function and slows the overnight repair window, and chronic sleep restriction visibly accelerates aging. — Allison Palmer updated June 13, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2026 Poor sleep impairs barrier function and accelerates visible aging. — Allison Palmer updated June 13, Miami Herald, 13 June 2026 If rain severely impairs your vision, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 13 June 2026 Unfortunately, substance use impairs judgment, increases impulsivity and amplifies vulnerability to a range of other high-risk behaviors and harms. — Beverly Kingston, The Conversation, 9 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impairs

Verb

In some diseases such as frontal lobe dementia, which damages executive function instead of memory, tangles can accumulate without the presence of amyloid.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza wants to help make a difference for people who, like his mom, are living with multiple sclerosis, or MS, a chronic condition that attacks and damages the body’s nervous system.

— Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026

Definition of damages

Verb

Especially the guy who bangs a wrecking ball against the historic East Wing to make room for an incongruous ballroom monstrosity, who mars the sacred Oval Office with gold glitter and paves over the lovely Rose Garden.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Jacob Whitehead Homophobic chant mars Mexico’s win Before the World Cup, the Mexican football federation launched a campaign that featured the heroes of the country’s 1986 World Cup side.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 June 2026

Definition of mars

Verb

Fresh concrete is alkaline enough to shield the metal from rust, but carbonation gradually lowers its pH and weakens that protection.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 11 July 2026
As the sun grows lighter, its gravitational grip weakens, pushing the surviving planets outward into a wider orbit that could double their distance from the star, according to NASA.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of weakens

Verb

Financial privacy erodes gradually through risk assessments, compliance obligations, information sharing partnerships and international standards presented as technical rather than political.

— Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
This undermines financial stability, erodes reserves intended for true emergencies, and increases the likelihood of necessary cuts or emergency measures in the future.

— Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2026

Definition of erodes

Verb

Empire Towers' unsafe structure hurts nearby businesses Workers at BG's Car Wash on Crain Highway told CBS News Baltimore that business has slowed after the perimeter was established around Empire Towers.

— Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 13 July 2026
That's the most disappointing thing and that's the part that hurts the most for me personally.

— Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of hurts

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impairments

impairs

impale

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“Impairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impairs. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of impairs

verb

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