imperative

American  

[im-per-uh-tiv] / ɪmˈpɛr ə tɪv /

adjective

1. absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable.

   It is imperative that we leave.

   Synonyms:

   compelling, exigent, essential, indispensable, inescapable

2. of the nature of or expressing a command; commanding.

3. Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used in commands, requests, etc., as in Listen! Go!

---

noun

imperatives plural

1. a command.

2. something that demands attention or action; an unavoidable obligation or requirement; necessity.

   It is an imperative that we help defend friendly nations.

3. Grammar.

   1. the imperative mood.

   2. a verb in this mood.

4. an obligatory statement, principle, or the like.

imperative British  

/ ɪmˈpɛrətɪv /

adjective

1. extremely urgent or important; essential

2. peremptory or authoritative

   an imperative tone of voice

3. Also: imperatival.  grammar denoting a mood of verbs used in giving orders, making requests, etc. In English the verb root without any inflections is the usual form, as for example leave in Leave me alone

---

noun

1. something that is urgent or essential

2. an order or command

3. grammar

   1. the imperative mood

   2. a verb in this mood

imperative Cultural  

1. A grammatical category describing verbs that command or request: “Leave town by tonight”; “Please hand me the spoon.”

---

Usage

What is an imperative sentence? An imperative sentence is a sentence used to give commands or instructions or make requests, as in Give me that. It usually begins with a verb or a verb phrase. Imperative sentences often don’t have an apparent subject. Instead the subject is implied, usually the person who the speaker is giving the commands or instructions to. It is possible to include subjects in imperative sentences by addressing the person separately, as in Joe, hand me that wrench. While imperative sentences often start with verbs, they can also begin with adverbs, as in Carefully move the sofa, or prepositional phrases, as in Without opening your eyes, count to ten.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• imperativeness
  noun
• nonimperativeness
  noun
• nonimperative
  adjective
• unimperative
  adjective
• imperatively
  adverb
• nonimperatively
  adverb
• unimperatively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• imperatives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of imperative

First recorded in 1520–30; from Late Latin imperātivus, equivalent to Latin imperāt(us) “imposed,” past participle of imperāre “to impose, order, command” ( im- im- ¹ + -perāre, combining form of parāre “to set, get ready, produce, obtain”; see prepare) + -īvus -ive

Explanation

When something absolutely has to be done and cannot be put off, use the adjective imperative. Imperative is from Latin imperare, "to command," and its original use was for a verb form expressing a command: "Do it!" is an imperative sentence. The word is still used that way, but it's more commonly applied to something so pressing it cannot be put off: "It's imperative that we hire more workers if we want to complete the job on time." Imperative has more immediate force than pressing but less than urgent.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

imperative imperatives

Pro softball leagues have existed since 1976, but they have lacked the visibility and accessibility imperative to flourishing and gaining popularity.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Lieu said "it is imperative" that AI systems have a kill switch "and that the federal government has the clear authority and process to shut down rogue AI models".

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

For OpenAI, going public is imperative, perhaps existential.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026

"We are blessed with a lot of technological advancements recently, but the main imperative for decision-makers around the world is really: how do you make sure this counts in the real economy?"

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

Then, without warning, the third sentence shifts to the imperative mood and we are supposed to have the reader, not the nouns, forming plurals in a certain way.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

They’re losing out on great candidates, visionary leaders and businesses, to say nothing of the moral imperatives of equal access and opportunity.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026

Tehran’s twin imperatives appear to be keeping it at the negotiating table despite skirmishes in the Strait of Hormuz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026

Part of that is down to financial imperatives, as a big fall in oil prices before the current war in the Middle East meant that even Saudi Arabia's extraordinary wealth took a hit.

From BBC ● May 25, 2026

The imperatives of SEO are what helped popularize a slick and impersonal style in the first place, Smith points out.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2025

Any image is a separate and self-contained reality which has its own ends and responds to its own imperatives, for artists are bound only to their creativity.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Related Words

• compulsory
• critical
• crucial
• essential
• immediate
• important
• indispensable
• inescapable
• obligatory
• pressing
• urgent
• vital