IMPAIRMENT Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

impairment

noun

Definition of impairment

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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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 impairment An employee with a vision or cognitive impairment gets function back. — Jason Walker Psyd, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Hormone therapy should not be prescribed specifically as a treatment for cognitive impairment or as a way to prevent dementia, Rozenfeld says. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026 Geriatric ERs also try to counter sensory impairment, another contributor to delirium, by distributing reading glasses and sound-amplifying devices. — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 Dwyer advocates for a view of neurodiversity that has room for both social factors and individual impairments that may be addressed with treatment, as well as for the idea that neurodivergences can come with strengths. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for impairment

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impairment

Noun

This is the year to consider benchmarking your work benefits, including disability income insurance.

— Cicely Jones, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Cole told me that once, when King’s work was included in a group show whose only common theme was disability, King had acted visibly miffed.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of disability

Noun

CoQ10 may indirectly improve athletic performance by reducing fatigue, pain, swelling, and muscle injury caused by strenuous exercise.

— Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 26 Aug. 2026
At the same time, writing the final chapter of recovery only 10 days after an injury is far too early.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of injury

Noun

If an account remains past due for several months, it could eventually be closed and cause further damage to your credit.

— Mike Winters, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
One year before his triumph in the 2026 US Open, Clark missed the cut at the same tournament and took his frustrations out on the Oakmont Country Club locker room, causing enough damage that the famous club outside Pittsburgh banned him for life.

— Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of damage

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impairing

impairment

impairments

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“Impairment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impairment. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of impairment

noun

Example Sentences

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