Synonyms
injure, harm, hurt, damage, impair, mar mean to affect injuriously.
injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.
harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.
hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.
damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.
impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.
mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.
Examples of impair in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'impair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle English empeiren, from Anglo-French empeirer, from Vulgar Latin *impejorare, from Latin in- + Late Latin pejorare to make worse — more at pejorative
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near impair
Cite this Entry
“Impair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impair. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
impair
verbMedical Definition
impair
transitive verbLegal Definition
impair
transitive verbMore from Merriam-Webster on impair
Nglish: Translation of impair for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of impair for Arabic Speakers
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