Hearing-impaired: meaning, definitions and examples

Used in formal writing or professional settings to refer to someone with any level of hearing loss.

• The hearing-impaired community requires more inclusive services.
• Adjustments were made to the program to accommodate hearing-impaired participants.

Typically used when a person has little to no hearing. It can also refer to people who identify culturally as part of the Deaf community.

• She has been deaf since birth and uses sign language to communicate.
• Deaf culture has its own rich traditions and language.

Used for describing someone who has partial hearing loss but can still use auditory means to some extent, often with the help of hearing aids or other devices.

• My grandfather is hard of hearing and uses a hearing aid.
• Being hard of hearing, he finds it challenging to follow conversations in noisy environments.

Similar to 'hearing-impaired' used in professional or clinical settings, this term denotes a range of hearing loss from partial to profound.

• The concert will have services for hearing-impaired attendees.
• She works in advocacy for the rights of hearing-impaired individuals.

This term is more direct and is often preferred within the deaf community itself. It is used when referring to someone with a significant hearing loss or no hearing at all, and can include those who identify culturally with the Deaf community.

• She is a deaf person who uses sign language to communicate.
• The school provides special education services for deaf persons.

This is a more inclusive and person-first language, typically used to respect the identity of the individual without defining them solely by their hearing condition. It's commonly used in everyday and respectful conversation.

• We should consider the needs of persons with hearing loss when designing public spaces.
• He is a person with hearing loss who uses a hearing aid.