impair

/ɪmˈpeə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈper/ (ame, ipa) · /im-ˈper/ (ame, mw)

impair — 動詞

  • impairpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • impairshe / she / it
  • impairedpast simple
  • impairing-ing form

1. to cause something to become less powerful, useful, or effective — for example,

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

損害；削弱

使某事物變弱或效果降低

to cause something to become less powerful, useful, or effective — for example, when an injury impairs a person's ability to walk, or when a lack of sleep impairs their concentration.

例句

Hassan's hearing was severely impaired by years of working near loud machinery without ear protection.

Hassan 的聽力因多年在沒有耳部防護的情況下靠近大型機械工作而嚴重受損。

passive: be impaired by [cause]

Chitra's vision was impaired by a car accident, so she wears glasses to drive.

Chitra 的視力因一場車禍受損，所以她開車時戴眼鏡。

impair + noun phrase (vision)

同義詞
  • damage

    More general and physical; damage can mean breaking or harming something physically, while impair is about reduced function.

  • weaken

    Focuses on loss of strength; weaker than impair in formality and impact.

  • hinder

    Focuses on creating obstacles or delays, not permanent reduction of ability.

  • undermine

    Often used abstractly (e.g. confidence, authority); implies gradual, hidden damage.

反義詞
  • improve

    To make something better or more effective, the direct opposite of impair.

  • strengthen

    To make something stronger or more powerful.

文法句型

impair + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used in medical or health contexts when describing damage to the body, senses, or mental functions. The subject is often a disease, injury, substance, or environmental factor rather than a person.

常見錯誤

❌The loud noise impaired my ear.
✅The loud noise impaired my hearing.
💡'impair' is used with abstract functions and abilities (hearing, vision, memory), not body parts themselves.
❌The rain impaired our picnic.
✅The rain ruined our picnic.
💡'impair' means to weaken or reduce effectiveness; for everyday events like a picnic, use 'ruin' or 'spoil' instead.