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

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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

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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

As a manager going into troubled clubs, you have to immediately set your non-negotiable principles with your players - things like hard work and a collective spirit in the dressing room were imperative for me.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

A fix was released Wednesday, with the PHP Foundation telling the tech departments of companies and organisations around the world: "If you run PHP, it is imperative that you update now."

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026

In late September, SEC staff released a statement reminding private-fund managers that proper valuations are imperative.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

It’s also nostalgic in a way that finally seems imperative in today’s Hollywood that reeks of hollow, monetized sentimentality about its past.

From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026

It takes every ounce of self control I have to stop myself and curtail my biological imperative.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

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

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

Even before the first bombs fell on Iran, after all, the U.S. was shortchanging all those imperatives.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026

"If they're not, how do we make sure that they are so that we can try to balance the commercial imperatives versus the performance?"

From Barron's ● Dec. 28, 2025

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

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

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Related Words

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

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