IMPAIR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does impair mean? 

• IMPAIR (verb)
  The verb IMPAIR has 2 senses:

1. make worse or less effective

2. make imperfect

  Familiarity information: IMPAIR used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IMPAIR (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they impair    ... he / she / it impairs   
Past simple: impaired   
Past participle: impaired   
-ing form: impairing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make worse or less effective

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

His vision was impaired

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

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

deflower; impair; mar; spoil; vitiate

Context example:

nothing marred her beauty

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)

 Context examples 

Beta-Arrestins appear to bind phosphorylated Beta-Adrenergic receptors, impairing G(s) protein activation.

(Arrestin Beta 1, NCI Thesaurus)

Treatment of viral infections with agents that prevent viral replication in infected cells without impairing the host cell function.

(Antiviral Therapy, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent is also incorporated into RNA, thereby disrupting normal RNA function and impairing tRNA cytosine-5-methyltransferase activity.

(Azacitidine, NCI Thesaurus)

Genetic deficiency of the first enzyme in the pathway, 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, leads to impaired myelination of neurons and impaired development of the central nervous system.

(Biosynthesis of Glycine and Serine Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

A finding of impaired integrity to the anatomic site of an adverse thermal reaction.

(Burn, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

It is caused by damage to one of the bundle branches, resulting in impaired transmission of cardiac electrical impulses.

(Bundle Branch Block by ECG Finding, NCI Thesaurus)

An agent that prevents or impairs tumor metastasis.

(Antimetastatic Agent, NCI Thesaurus)

This leads to an impaired uptake of glucose, a depletion of glycogen stores, and results in the worm's death.

(Albendazole, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers do not know why exposure to air pollutants might cause pregnancy loss, but it could be related to increased inflammation of the placenta and oxidative stress, which can impair fetal development.

(Air pollution exposure in early pregnancy linked to miscarriage, National Institutes of Health)

This suggests that a lack of zinc during early development might contribute to autism through impaired synaptic maturation and neuronal circuit formation.

(Zinc Deficiency during Pregnancy Linked to Autism in Babies, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)