imperious
Americanadjective
-
domineering in a haughty manner; dictatorial; overbearing: an imperious person.
an imperious manner;
an imperious person.
- Synonyms:
- arrogant, despotic, tyrannical
- Antonyms:
- submissive
-
imperious need.
- Synonyms:
- necessary
- Antonyms:
- unnecessary
adjective
-
domineering; arrogant; overbearing
-
rare urgent; imperative
Other Word Forms
- imperiously adverb
- imperiousness noun
- nonimperious adjective
- nonimperiousness noun
- unimperious adjective
Etymology
Origin of imperious
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin imperiōsus “commanding, tyrannical,” equivalent to imperi(um) imperium + -ōsus -ous
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.
When Ohio State took the field against Miami here for the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, it was expected to mark the start of another imperious march toward the title game.
But Ana-Maria is no imperious popular princess—she’s nice to Lucia, responding with youthful awe when Lucia shyly shows her the scarlet lipstick that she got from her aunt in Paris.
He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual imperious self this season, with the worst recoveries per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions are also down on last season.
From BBC
She said Summers was “not exactly socialized” and called him “imperious.”
Carelessly she laid her hand upon the desk to show off the emerald ring, and she spoke in the most imperious tone she could manage.
From Literature
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.
