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!

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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

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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.”

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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

The long exploitation of Indigenous Americans, and the looming power of U.S. slave states on Mexico’s borders, made a ban on slavery both an ethical and a strategic imperative in Mexico’s new constitution.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026

For OpenAI, going public is imperative, perhaps existential.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026

Consider George Washington, whose humility and repeated decisions to relinquish power rather than cling to it, became the young republic’s most imperative precedent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026

"Our purpose is to find, investigate and refer potential miscarriages of justice, so it is imperative that we take advantage of opportunities offered by scientific developments to do that," a spokesperson added.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026

"It is absolutely imperative that you keep the potentially concussed patient awake at all times."

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo

Related Words

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