impair

Meaning

Verb

1. To weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.
2. To grow worse; to deteriorate.

Adj

Not fit or appropriate; unsuitable.

Noun

1. (obsolete) The act of impairing or deteriorating.
2. (obsolete) The fact of being impaired or having grown worse.
3. (obsolete) An impairment or deterioration.

Synonyms

damage

spoil

weaken

harm

vitiate

ruin

deteriorate

injure

debilitate

mar

disrupt

hurt

destroy

deflower

diminish

undermine

emaciated

soften

attenuate

enervate

blight

break

worsen

deface

dilapidate

disable

disfigure

mutilate

waste

damp

downcast

shatter

impairment

injury

kill

🔪🩸👤

lesion

lessen

maltreat

mischief

odd

odd number

rapture

rift

shake

sully

take away

unbrace

undo

uneven

vandalize

wash out

water down

wear away

wreck

detract from

do for

make weak

shake down

be perplexed

be emaciated

be dejected

be downcast

devitalise

flying-off

make less

out-break

failure breaking

abrade

devitalize,

abruption

aggravate

be troubled

blast

blemish

blunt

breach

breakage

breakdown

collapsing

corrode

cracking

cripple

dampen

decimate

decrease

de-escalate

deflate

deform

demolish

deprave

depress

devastate

devitalize

do harm

dull

emasculate

enfeeble

failure

fracture

fragmentation

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪmˈpɛə(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: impairen

In summary

From Middle English impairen, empeiren, from Old French empeirier, from Early Medieval Latin impeiōrāre, from in- + Late Latin peiōrāre (“worsen”), from peiōrem (“worse”), comparative of malus (“bad”).