impairment

impairment — noun

1. the process of making something weaker, less effective, or less valuable, or the

1.名詞B2
釋義

the process of making something weaker, less effective, or less valuable, or the state of being in a weakened condition

例句

After the flood, Tunde inspected the warehouse and documented the impairment of its concrete supports.

impairment of [physical object] assessed after damage

Élise noticed a gradual impairment of her violin's sound as the glue joints aged.

collocation: gradual impairment

同義詞
  • damage

    stronger and more general; implies harm that can be seen or measured; 'impairment' suggests partial loss of function rather than destruction

  • deterioration

    focuses on a gradual worsening over time; 'impairment' may also be sudden

  • weakening

    more transparent and everyday; 'impairment' is more formal

反義詞
  • improvement

    opposite direction of change — getting better rather than worse

  • strengthening

    making something stronger rather than weaker

文法句型

impairment + of + noun phrase

cause/lead to + impairment

assess/identify/report + impairment

用法筆記

Common in formal, financial, and legal writing. The uncountable form is typical when describing a general process of weakening; the countable form is used for a specific instance or type of weakening.

常見錯誤

❌The storm caused impairment to the roof.
✅The storm caused impairment of the roof's structure.
💡The preferred preposition after 'impairment' in the sense of damage is 'of', not 'to'.
❌Drinking too much soda can impairment your teeth.
✅Drinking too much soda can cause impairment of your tooth enamel.
💡'Impairment' is a noun, not a verb. The verb form is 'impair'.

2. a condition in which a part of the body, an organ, or a person's mental ability

2.名詞C1
釋義

a condition in which a part of the body, an organ, or a person's mental ability works less well than it should, either temporarily or permanently, often because of injury, illness, or age

例句

The doctor said the hearing impairment in Ayesha's left ear was caused by the explosion.

medical context: hearing impairment + cause

Hamza was born with a visual impairment that makes it hard to read street signs.

collocation: born with + visual impairment

同義詞
  • disability

    broader term covering functional limitations in daily life; 'impairment' is the underlying physical/mental condition

  • disorder

    often used for medical conditions affecting specific systems; 'impairment' focuses on the loss of function rather than the condition itself

  • loss

    stronger and more final (e.g. hearing loss vs hearing impairment); 'impairment' implies partial rather than total loss

反義詞
  • normal function

    the expected or healthy level of operation of a body part or organ

文法句型

[type] + impairment — e.g. hearing impairment, visual impairment

impairment + in + body part / organ

suffer from / experience + impairment

用法筆記

Medical or clinical term preferred over 'damage' or 'injury' when describing reduced function. The specific type is almost always specified (hearing, visual, cognitive, speech, memory, etc.). This sense is also used in disability law and social services.

常見錯誤

❌She has an impairment leg.
✅She has a leg impairment.
💡The adjective form ('impaired') or a noun modifier before 'impairment' is needed: 'leg impairment' or 'impaired leg', not 'impairment leg'.

❌ 'Impairment' and 'disability' mean the same thing.' — In medical and legal contexts, 'impairment' refers specifically to a problem with body function or structure, while 'disability' is a broader term that includes the social and practical limitations that result from an impairment.