Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Diminished in strength, quality, or utility: Describes something that is damaged, weakened, or made less effective than its original or normal state.
   • Mentally or physically unfit: Describes a person whose physical or mental faculties are below the normal standard or have been damaged.

Usage and Examples

• Describing diminished quality or function:
  • His hearing was impaired after the accident.
  • The impaired brakes made the car unsafe to drive.
• Describing a person's condition:
  • The program provides support for visually impaired students.
  • She was charged with driving while impaired.

Advanced Usage

• "Hearing-impaired" or "Visually impaired": These are standard terms used to describe a person with a significant loss of hearing or sight. They are often preferred to terms like "deaf" or "blind" in certain formal or medical contexts.
  • The museum offers tours for the visually impaired.
• Legally impaired: Often used in legal contexts, especially regarding the operation of vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • The driver was found to be legally impaired.

Variants and Related Words

• Impair (verb): To weaken, damage, or make worse.
  • Smoking can impair your lung function.
• Impairment (noun): The state or fact of being impaired; a disability or defect.
  • He has a minor cognitive impairment.

Synonyms

• Damaged: Harmed or injured.
• Weakened: Made less strong or powerful.
• Diminished: Made smaller or less.
• Disabled: (When referring to a person) Having a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities.

Antonyms

• Intact: Not damaged or impaired in any way.
• Unimpaired: Not weakened or damaged.
• Enhanced: Intensified or improved in quality or strength.

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Impaired driving: The criminal offense of operating a motor vehicle while one's abilities are compromised by alcohol, drugs, or fatigue.
  • He was arrested for impaired driving.
• Impaired asset: In finance, an asset whose market value has fallen below its book value on a company's balance sheet.
  • The company had to write down its impaired assets.

Adjective

1. mentally or physically unfit
2. diminished in strength, quality, or utility
   • impaired eyesight