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.
In the halfpipe training she did do she looked in imperious form, and qualified for Saturday's final in fifth place, with Great Britain's Zoe Atkin, also a Stanford student, topping the standings.
From BBC
Bethell was looking imperious and, despite losing Tom Banton cheaply, he reached his fifty off 28 balls with two consecutive towering sixes.
From Barron's
When that doesn’t happen, I expect her to scold Dad, to stay steady if imperious.
From Literature
She was into her fourth Australian Open final in a row and had been imperious until now, with tears in her eyes at the end.
From Barron's
Nighthand glared and made an imperious gesture into a pile of stacked boxes, which overturned with a clatter.
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.
