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

See Examples For:

imperative imperatives

"It is imperative that Cornell be willing to examine itself with the same rigor we expect of others," Anne Meinig Smalling, chair of the university's board of trustees, said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

Artificial intelligence has now made it a corner-office imperative.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Given the inevitability of other top clubs circling emerging talent, the idea of selling the pathway that Liverpool offers is imperative.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

For the wistful, lovelorn loner, it’s an imperative reminder that being attached at the hip can still be isolating, no matter how much two people think alike.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

Writers acquire the hedge habit to conform to the bureaucratic imperative that’s abbreviated as CYA, which I’ll spell out as Cover Your Anatomy.

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

“Abstract Body” delves into the corseted, bustled shapes women were subjected to in centuries past, while “Reclaimed Body” acknowledges wild new imperatives that reject inherited standards and mock the idea of one body type.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

Lens added that their domestic league risks being "gradually relegated to the status of an adjustment variable at the whim of the European imperatives of some".

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026

Margulies explains how, when we allow obscure legal language to overshadow moral imperatives, we can end up in very dark places.

From Slate ● Jan. 31, 2026

She only patted my arm and said, “We can study imperatives tomorrow.”

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

Related Words

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