impaired
impaired — adjective
1. Any ability, organ, or object that is impaired works less effectively than norma
Any ability, organ, or object that is impaired works less effectively than normal, typically because of injury, disease, or external damage — for instance, a person's hearing, memory, or the function of a machine can be impaired.
After the accident, Bao's hearing was impaired in his left ear.
passive: be impaired by [cause/injury]
Constant dust in the factory had impaired the workers' lung function over time.
Impaired memory left Takeshi standing in the supermarket, unable to recall why he had come.
When her eyesight became impaired, Talia started using a magnifying glass to read.
The phone's battery performance was impaired by extreme cold during the trip.
- weakened
focuses on loss of strength rather than overall damage
- damaged
implies physical harm; stronger and more permanent than 'impaired'
- reduced
suggests a measurable lowering of ability, not necessarily damage
- diminished
more formal; suggests a gradual or partial decrease in function
- unimpaired
direct opposite; working at full capacity
- intact
suggests nothing has been harmed or reduced
用法筆記
Often used with body parts or bodily functions (vision, hearing, memory, mobility) in medical or technical contexts. The verb 'to impair' is transitive, but 'impaired' as an adjective describes a state or condition.
常見錯誤
2. A person described as impaired in a driving context cannot control a vehicle saf
A person described as impaired in a driving context cannot control a vehicle safely because their system contains alcohol, illegal drugs, or certain medicines. This is a formal legal term used in traffic law.
A truck driver was arrested after tests showed he was impaired by alcohol.
passive: be impaired by [substance]
In Canada, driving with a blood alcohol level above 0.08 percent is legally impaired.
Bilal was charged with impaired driving after police stopped his car near the bridge.
The city introduced stricter penalties for anyone caught driving while impaired.
A witness reported that the van was weaving across lanes because of an impaired driver.
- intoxicated
broader term covering any substance-based loss of control; also used medically
- under the influence
standard legal phrasing; often abbreviated as 'DUI' or 'DWI'
- drunk
informal and specific to alcohol; not used in formal legal documents
- sober
having no alcohol or drugs in the body; able to drive safely
用法筆記
Primarily used in legal or law-enforcement contexts. 'Impaired driving' is a specific criminal offence in many jurisdictions, often defined by a legal blood-alcohol limit. This sense rarely appears outside formal or official settings.