impair
to weaken, damage, or make worse
Root
- pejor: worse, negative shift
Other words with the pejor root
- pejoration: a shift toward a more negative meaning
- pejorative: expressing disapproval or negativity
Pejor points toward worse. To impair something is to make it worse, weaker, or less complete.
Lack of sleep can impair judgment before the person notices the change.
Impair is damage that reduces function. A cracked screen, blurred focus, biased method, or missing fact can still work a little, but less well than before.