Library / English Dictionary

IMPAIR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make worse or less effective

Example:

His vision was impaired

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "impair" is one way to...):

damage (inflict damage upon)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

impairer (an agent that impairs)

impairment (the occurrence of a change for the worse)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make imperfect

Example:

nothing marred her beauty

Synonyms:

deflower; impair; mar; spoil; vitiate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "impair" is one way to...):

damage (inflict damage upon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "impair"):

cloud; corrupt; defile; sully; taint (place under suspicion or cast doubt upon)

blemish; deface; disfigure (mar or spoil the appearance of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

impairer (an agent that impairs)

impairment (damage that results in a reduction of strength or quality)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Once that happens, your normal function in the brain gets impaired.

(Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Developed in Australia Shows Promise, VOA)

Following sustained cycles of repair, which occurs with aging and in muscle wasting diseases like muscular dystrophy, the normal regenerative process becomes impaired.

(Controlling Muscle Repair, NIH)

Combretastatin targets and binds to the colchicine-binding site of tubulin, thereby impairs the polymerization of tubulin dimers and prevents the formation of microtubules in the endothelial cells of tumor.

(Combretastatin, NCI Thesaurus)

Cyanovirin-N binds to the sugar moieties on the HIV particle and impairs the binding of virion-associated gp120 to cell-associated CD4 on mucosal surfaces and impedes membrane fusion.

(Cyanovirin-N, NCI Thesaurus)

A disorder characterized by impaired circulation to an extremity.

(Peripheral Ischemia, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

Mutations in parkin, DJ1, and PINK1 may alter mitochondrial activity, potentially impairing proteasomal function.

(Parkinson's Disease Pathway KEGG, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

Megaloblastic anemia caused by vitamin B-12 deficiency due to impaired absorption.

(Pernicious anemia, NCI Thesaurus)

When normal personality traits become inflexible and maladaptive, causing subjective distress or impaired social functioning, they can be considered disorders.

(Personality Disorder, NIH CRISP Thesaurus)

Some of the steps in plasmalogen biosynthesis are localized in peroxisomes, and some peroxisomal disorders impair plasmalogen biosynthesis.

(Plasmalogen Synthesis Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

A category of developmental disorders characterized by impaired communication and socialization skills.

(Pervasive Developmental Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)