imperative
Americanadjective
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absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable.
It is imperative that we leave.
- Synonyms:
- compelling, exigent, essential, indispensable, inescapable
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of the nature of or expressing a command; commanding.
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Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used in commands, requests, etc., as in Listen! Go!
noun
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a command.
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something that demands attention or action; an unavoidable obligation or requirement; necessity.
It is an imperative that we help defend friendly nations.
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Grammar.
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the imperative mood.
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a verb in this mood.
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an obligatory statement, principle, or the like.
adjective
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extremely urgent or important; essential
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peremptory or authoritative
an imperative tone of voice
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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
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something that is urgent or essential
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an order or command
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grammar
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the imperative mood
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a verb in this mood
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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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
Big tech companies have had a complicated relationship with explicit content, trying to balance the libertarian ethos of Silicon Valley with the demands of advertising-supported businesses and the imperative of protecting minors online.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
"There is no quick fix here, but it is imperative that those in the positions to make positive changes in policy and to make bold decisions about funding start to do so," the report concludes.
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
She then told me that it was imperative that she find some kind of job soon for she would be needing diapers and baby food along with maternity care from the clinic.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
