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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 impairs Cannabis impairs cognitive functioning and can be particularly detrimental to young brains that are still developing. — Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026 The Science Behind The Concept Research indicates that music reduces cortisol levels​, the stress hormone that impairs decision-making and dampens focus. — Roy Ward, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 The BBBofC also observes that just a two per cent loss of body fluid impairs performance while 10 per cent can cause circulatory failure and heat stroke. — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 The delay, the filing notes, impairs Pewitt’s defense because the memories of witnesses fade and their availability is unknown, and the ability to find and re-examine physical evidence after 31 years is compromised. — Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 Hwang suffered a traumatic brain injury from the attack, leading to ataxia, a neurological disorder that impairs movement and muscle control, and occasional seizures. — Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 Punishment should be reserved for the guilty, not the sick, and postpartum psychosis, by definition, impairs a mother’s ability to process reality. — Uruj Kamal Haider, Time, 21 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 Aphasia impairs a person's ability to speak. — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impairs
  1. damages
  2. injures
  3. mars
  4. weakens
  5. cripples
  6. erodes
  7. hurts
  8. compromises
Verb
  • Over time, the bullying creates a toxic environment that damages relationships between faculty and students and hurts the quality of education for everyone.
    — Jason Walker, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2026
  • How remibrutinib works Remibrutinib belongs to a class of medicines known as BTK inhibitors, which aim to reduce the immune system activity that damages nerves in MS patients.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of damages
Verb
  • Other scientists argue that vascular dysfunction hinders the brain’s ability to clear amyloid and injures neurons through other routes.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The agency defines an attack as an incident where a bear injures or kills a person.
    — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of injures
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
  • El Niño is a tropical Pacific climate pattern that weakens trade winds, shifts jet streams, and can increase the risk of flooding, droughts, and wildfires.
    — Cindy Carcamo, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Nov. 2026
  • And perhaps most importantly, gerrymandering weakens accountability.
    — Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • According to official figures, even when the thermometer plummets to minus 22 °F (-30 °C), a situation that cripples most electric vehicles, the Atto 8 can still execute a 20 % to 97% charge in just 12 minutes.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Federal illegality further cripples operations with banking and tax burdens.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Definition of cripples
Verb
  • This further erodes the independence of the Justice Department.
    — David Baldacci, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Dench was first diagnosed in 2012 with macular degeneration, a retinal disease that erodes one’s central vision and is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in people over 65.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of erodes
Verb
  • Patrick’s death means the loss of Picard, which for some hurts even more than the loss of Patrick Stewart.
    — Gates McFadden, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • As always with sunscreen, reapplication of water-resistant formulas is key—and physical sun protection never hurts in a beach or poolside setting.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurts
Verb
  • Anyone who compromises sensitive national security information puts the lives of our Warriors at risk and undermines every military operation that keeps our country safe.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The department also argues that threatening officers with prosecution for protecting their identities and their families chills enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive operations.
    — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of compromises

Browse Nearby Words

impairments
impairs
impale
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Cite this Entry

“Impairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impairs. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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