definitions

imperative

[ im-per-uh-tiv ]
/ ɪmˈpɛr ə tɪv /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR imperative ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable: It is imperative that we leave.
of the nature of or expressing a command; commanding.
Grammar. noting or pertaining to the mood of the verb used in commands, requests, etc., as in Listen! Go!Compare indicative(def 2), subjunctive(def 1).

noun

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RELATED WORDS

vicissitude, contingency, requirement, dilemma, distress, juncture, want, pass, need, plight, crisis, fix, scrape, jam, crossroad, duress, hardship, emergency, pressure, necessity

Nearby words

impenetrable, impenitent, impennate, imper., imperatival, imperative, imperator, imperatriz, imperceptible, imperception, imperceptive

Origin of imperative

1520–30; < Late Latin imperātivus, equivalent to Latin imperāt(us) past participle of imperāre to impose, order, command (im- im-1 + -per- (combining form of parāre to fur-nish (with), produce, obtain, prepare) + -ātus -ate1) + -īvus -ive

Related forms

Can be confused

imperative imperial imperious
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for imperativeness

British Dictionary definitions for imperativeness

imperative

/ (ɪmˈpɛrətɪv) /

adjective

extremely urgent or important; essential
peremptory or authoritativean imperative tone of voice
Also: imperatival (ɪmˌpɛrəˈtaɪvəl) 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

something that is urgent or essential
an order or command
grammar
  1. the imperative mood
  2. a verb in this mood

Derived Forms

imperatively, adverbimperativeness, noun

Word Origin for imperative

C16: from Late Latin imperātīvus, from Latin imperāre to command
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Culture definitions for imperativeness

imperative

A grammatical category describing verbs that command or request: “Leave town by tonight”; “Please hand me the spoon.”

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.