IMPAIR Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'impair' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of impair are damage , harm , hurt , injure , and mar . While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution. // years of smoking had impaired his health

Q: In what contexts can 'damage' take the place of 'impair'?

The meanings of damage and impair largely overlap; however, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness. // a table damaged in shipping

Q: When might 'harm' be a better fit than 'impair'?

While the synonyms harm and impair are close in meaning, harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss. // careful not to harm the animals

Q: When could 'hurt' be used to replace 'impair'?

The words hurt and impair are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings. // hurt by their callous remarks

Q: When is 'injure' a more appropriate choice than 'impair'?

Although the words injure and impair have much in common, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success. // badly injured in an accident

Q: When would 'mar' be a good substitute for 'impair'?

While in some cases nearly identical to impair , mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement. // the text is marred by many typos

impair

verb

im-ˈper

Definition of impair next

as in to injure

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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How is the word impair distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of impair are damage, harm, hurt, injure, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

In what contexts can damage take the place of impair?

The meanings of damage and impair largely overlap; however, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When might harm be a better fit than impair?

While the synonyms harm and impair are close in meaning, harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When could hurt be used to replace impair?

The words hurt and impair are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When is injure a more appropriate choice than impair?

Although the words injure and impair have much in common, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

When would mar be a good substitute for impair?

While in some cases nearly identical to impair, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

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 impair One of the key behaviors impaired was brood rearing. —

William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025 If any incoming contract in a Valančiūnas’ deal would not impair the Wizards’ long-term payroll flexibility, then more than one early second-round pick might do the trick. —

David Aldridge, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025 This ruling may significantly impair EPA’s work going forward. —

Stan Meiburg, The Conversation, 10 Jan. 2025 Certain Conditions Various health conditions can directly or indirectly impair your immune system, including:13 Certain cancers Diabetes Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS Lupus Multiple sclerosis (MS) Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Aging Natural aging contributes to a weakened immune system. —

Rachael Zimlich, Bsn, Rn, Verywell Health, 7 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for impair

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impair

Verb

Detectives arrested a suspect associated with a stabbing that killed a woman and left a man seriously injured in west Roseville on Saturday, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

— Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 26 Jan. 2025
But the three-peat has proved elusive in professional football for all kinds of reasons: Key players get injured.

— Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Jan. 2025