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 One study found that even having a phone turned off on a table nearby may be enough to impair a student’s academic performance. — James Marriott, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2026 For the hearing impaired, select rooms feature visual fire alarms plus signals for telephone ringing and door knocking. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Alexandrou countered that the defendant's alcohol consumption had no bearing on the case because there's nothing to suggest that he was impaired at the time of the incident. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 She was charged with tampering with evidence with intent to impair a human corpse. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for impair

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impair

Verb

At least one person died and more than a dozen were injured in a major Ukrainian drone strike yesterday on Saint Petersburg, Russia's former imperial capital.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
Continue reading … NATION IN MOURNING — Canadian service members killed, 19 critically injured after fire rips through base.

— , FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of injure

Verb

Miles said one of his friends made the decision to drop his early decision application to Cornell, not because of the incident itself, but for fear the school’s reputation would be damaged.

— Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Insurance payouts for mortgaged homes damaged or destroyed by fires are typically not sent directly to homeowners but instead are held by lenders or servicers, who then disburse the funds in tranches as a home is rebuilt or repaired.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of damage

Verb

Mass protests in France are often marred by violence on the fringes of otherwise peaceful marches, leading to clashes with police.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
There were also parts that were not as successful — mainly the parts marred by his physical unreadiness.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of mar

Verb

But while those will provide short-term relief, the currency is expected to weaken toward the end of the year and mid-2027, and a 100 rupee-per-dollar mark could not be ruled out, strategists said.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
However, following his arrest, the owner, Mohammad Khan, blamed this week's rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police, who said the investigation was still underway.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

The department also argues that threatening officers with prosecution for protecting their identities and their families chills enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive operations.

— Eric Henderson, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Separating system testing from intelligence testing can eliminate unnecessary consumption without compromising engineering rigor.

— Pritam Debnath, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of compromise

Verb

Washington must take care, however, not to transfer defense responsibilities faster than allies can develop the capabilities to assume them—and not to do so in ways that erode trust, interoperability, and coordination.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
The deck replacement is necessary because traffic loads on the span have become increasingly heavy, and salt air has eroded bridge materials.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of erode

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“Impair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impair. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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