# impairment

/ˌɪmˈpɛɹmənt/ (US) · /ɪmpˈeəmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/impairment
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. physical or mental condition

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a condition where a part of your body or mind is damaged or does not work as it should.

For teachers: a permanent or temporary loss or abnormality of a psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function.

- The school provides extra support for students with a visual impairment.
- The clinical assessment aimed to determine the extent of cognitive impairment resulting from the patient's recent head injury.

Usage: Often used with 'visual', 'hearing', or 'cognitive'.

### 2. loss of financial value

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

a reduction in the value of a company's asset because it is no longer worth what was originally paid.

For teachers: a permanent reduction in the value of an asset to less than its carrying amount on a balance sheet.

- The company had to report a large impairment on its property after the market crashed.
- Following the annual audit, the board recognised a significant impairment loss on the goodwill associated with the recent acquisition.

Usage: Commonly appears in the phrase 'impairment loss'.

### 3. general weakening

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the process of something becoming weaker or less effective.

For teachers: the state or process of being diminished in quality, strength, or value.

- The impairment of the bridge's structure was caused by years of salt water damage.
- The report highlighted the gradual impairment of diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring states over the last decade.

## Examples

- His hearing impairment makes phone calls difficult.
- The driver's visual impairment prevented him from reading the road signs in time.
- The report highlighted how untreated hearing impairment in older adults often leads to social isolation and cognitive decline.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.