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

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

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

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”; prepare ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

But behind it all, I knew the system I wanted to play and getting the right fit, in terms of the identity of every player in that system, was imperative for us.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

For litigators, it has created a new imperative: ferreting out citations that have been fabricated by AI bots in their own court filings — and their adversaries’.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

“So it is imperative for the sector to post upwards earnings revisions for the recent outperformance to continue.”

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

The retail number has become one of the most important measures of China’s economic performance given the imperative to move toward greater domestic consumption.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

By midday it became imperative to locate a copy of Pauling’s classic book, The Nature of the Chemical Bond.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Related Words

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