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

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 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 diseases that cause dementia can impair brain circuits involved in impulse control and threat perception, raising the risk of aggressive behavior. — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026 The complete assembly weighs just enough for the Madagascar hissing cockroach, a species favored for cyborg research because of its large size, robustness, and wingless body, to carry without significantly impairing its movement. — New Atlas, 18 July 2026 Police also said some prescription and over-the-counter medications can impair a person’s ability to drive. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for impair

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impair

Verb

More than 90 firefighters have been injured in Gironde, the prefecture said.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
Cal Fire said two firefighters were injured while battling the blaze.

— Jason Green, Mercury News, 28 July 2026

Definition of injure

Verb

Little Joe's was boarded up after an antique door was heavily damaged as the burglary crew got in and out in about a minute.

— Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
More than 3,200 children have been killed or injured since February 24, 2022, and more than 1,700 schools and education facilities have been damaged or destroyed, leaving one in three children without full-time in-person education.

— Emile Nuh, CNN Money, 31 July 2026

Definition of damage

Verb

To prevent a similar war from happening again, Menelaus scarred her face, permanently marring her famous beauty.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
In an address from the White House tonight, the president sought to reveal proof for his baseless assertions of a 2020 vote marred by fraud.

— Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Definition of mar

Verb

The new film takes its cue from a once-promising novelist crippled by writer’s block who reconnects with his estranged college roommate, now a wealthy tech entrepreneur, in hopes of finding inspiration for his next book.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 July 2026
The tragic twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 laid bare the dire state of the country’s health system, crippled by years of economic crisis, government mismanagement and the migration of medical workers.

— Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026

Definition of cripple

Verb

The lionfish's poisonous spikes can badly hurt anyone who’s stung.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
The use of force is allowed under certain conditions, according to the personnel board’s order, including when an inmate could be assaultive or hurt themselves — which led Green to dismiss CDCR’s allegation against the officer.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of hurt

Verb

Building an electric Miata without compromising its defining character is something altogether different.

— Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Minnesota's water supply has not been reported compromised as a result of the attack, Minnesota Department of Public Safety spokesperson Mike Ersnter said.

— Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 31 July 2026

Definition of compromise

Verb

As more households abandon traditional cable and satellite packages in favor of streaming platforms, the reach that advertisers once took for granted on linear TV are eroding.

— Kris Qiu, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Crystal hates that shows drop an entire season on release day, and thinks streaming has eroded the monoculture that used to propel powerful franchises to billion-dollar heights.

— Jack Dunn, Variety, 30 July 2026

Definition of erode

Browse Nearby Words

impacts

impair

impaired

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“Impair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impair. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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