impairment
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a condition where a part of your body or mind is damaged or does not work as it should.
a permanent or temporary loss or abnormality of a psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function.
Simple“The school provides extra support for students with a visual impairment.”
In context“The clinical assessment aimed to determine the extent of cognitive impairment resulting from the patient's recent head injury.”
UsageOften used with 'visual', 'hearing', or 'cognitive'.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a reduction in the value of a company's asset because it is no longer worth what was originally paid.
a permanent reduction in the value of an asset to less than its carrying amount on a balance sheet.
Simple“The company had to report a large impairment on its property after the market crashed.”
In context“Following the annual audit, the board recognised a significant impairment loss on the goodwill associated with the recent acquisition.”
UsageCommonly appears in the phrase 'impairment loss'.
Synonymswrite downdepreciationAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the process of something becoming weaker or less effective.
the state or process of being diminished in quality, strength, or value.
Simple“The impairment of the bridge's structure was caused by years of salt water damage.”
In context“The report highlighted the gradual impairment of diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring states over the last decade.”
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage visual impairment
“Much less is known about how to turn a positive test into a reliable timestamp for impairment.”
“Cannabis-related impairment often went undetected by those tests.”
From Middle English empeirement, empeyrement, emparement, from Anglo-Norman empairement, emperement, enpeirement, from Old French ampirement, anpirement, enperement, equivalent to impair + -ment.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.