impairment

noun

im·​pair·​ment im-ˈper-mənt 

plural impairments

: the act of impairing something or the state or condition of being impaired : diminishment or loss of function or ability

… it does not help reverse the impairment of cognitive activity caused by diazepam …

—Corby Kummer

Trichloroethylene has been classified by EPA as a probable human carcinogen, although its primary effect is impairment of the central nervous system.

—Chemical & Engineering News

Persons with hearing impairments can now get information about local parks and their facilities by calling the recently installed TDD phone numbers within the Parks Department.

—Maryland Magazine

Studies show that roughly 11 percent of all kindergarteners have speech or language impairments …

—The Springfield (Massachusetts) Union-News

Examples of impairment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Accessibility for those with mobility impairments Two of the villas—one Dune One-Bedroom Pool Villa and one Dune Two-Bedroom Pool Villa—are wheelchair accessible. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Residents took part alongside professional actors playing people with cognitive impairments. — Elissa Suh, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026

In the study, researchers analyzed thousands of patients with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, as well as those with mild cognitive impairment, and then narrowed the group to those who were taking glucosamine. — Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

The child developed spastic cerebral palsy and was believed to have cerebral visual impairment. — Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above