imperative
adjective
absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable.
imperatives
-
pluralof imperative.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
Caesar orders his friend to marry and divorce to satisfy dynastic imperatives, and forcibly adopts Agrippa’s children when it suits him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
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
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
And while this was all happening, there were all these other archetypal imperatives getting at me, like what about dancing?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2025
The three-minute convention persists thanks in no small part to attention spans and radio playlist imperatives.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
