im·per·a·tive
im-ˈper-ə-tiv 
-ˈpe-rə-
1
: not to be avoided or evaded : necessary
an imperative duty
2
a
: of, relating to, or constituting the grammatical mood that expresses the will to influence the behavior of another
b
: expressive of a command, entreaty, or exhortation
c
: having power to restrain, control, and direct
imperatively
adverb
imperativeness
noun
1
: something that is imperative (see imperative entry 1): such as
c
: an obligatory act or duty
d
: an obligatory judgment or proposition
2
: the grammatical mood that expresses the will to influence the behavior of another or a verb form or verbal phrase expressing it
Synonyms
Examples of imperative in a Sentence
Adjective
… I have begun to feel each time as if I am mutilating my antennae (which is how Rastafarians, among others, think of hair) and attenuating my power. It seems imperative not to cut my hair anymore.
—
Alice Walker, Living by the Word, (1981) 1988
This strange and distorted form of breathing could be interrupted for a minute or two by a strong effort of will, but would then resume its bizarre and imperative character.
—Oliver Sacks, Awakenings, 1973
We had a long and interesting evening with the Katzenbachs. He and Lyndon discussed the imperative need to make Washington a law-abiding city and how to go about it.
—Lady Bird Johnson 27 Jan. 1965,
A White House Diary, 1970
“Eat your spinach!” is an imperative sentence.
“Help” in the sentence “Help me!” is an imperative verb.
a verb in the imperative mood
People resented his imperative tone of voice.
Noun
Ellroy has got to be the only writer who still uses "dig" as an imperative …
—Laura Miller, New York Times Book Review, 20 May 2024
Indeed, under pressure from a new way of life in which radiant heat from woodburning stoves must circulate unimpeded by dividers, virtually every house with a chimney today has abandoned the closed-door imperative of the high-technology kitchen.
—Maxine Kumin, In Deep, 1987
"Maturity" had been a code word … for marriage and settling down; "growth" implied a plurality of legitimate options, if not a positive imperative to keep moving from one insight or experience to the next.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times Magazine, 20 May 2024
She considers it a moral imperative to help people in need.
“Eat your spinach!” is in the imperative.
“Go” and “buy” are imperatives in the sentence “Please go to the store and buy some milk.”
Alice Walker, Living by the Word, (1981) 1988
This strange and distorted form of breathing could be interrupted for a minute or two by a strong effort of will, but would then resume its bizarre and imperative character.
—Oliver Sacks, Awakenings, 1973
We had a long and interesting evening with the Katzenbachs. He and Lyndon discussed the imperative need to make Washington a law-abiding city and how to go about it.
—Lady Bird Johnson 27 Jan. 1965,
A White House Diary, 1970
“Eat your spinach!” is an imperative sentence.
“Help” in the sentence “Help me!” is an imperative verb.
a verb in the imperative mood
People resented his imperative tone of voice.
Noun
Ellroy has got to be the only writer who still uses "dig" as an imperative …
—Laura Miller, New York Times Book Review, 20 May 2024
Indeed, under pressure from a new way of life in which radiant heat from woodburning stoves must circulate unimpeded by dividers, virtually every house with a chimney today has abandoned the closed-door imperative of the high-technology kitchen.
—Maxine Kumin, In Deep, 1987
"Maturity" had been a code word … for marriage and settling down; "growth" implied a plurality of legitimate options, if not a positive imperative to keep moving from one insight or experience to the next.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times Magazine, 20 May 2024
She considers it a moral imperative to help people in need.
“Eat your spinach!” is in the imperative.
“Go” and “buy” are imperatives in the sentence “Please go to the store and buy some milk.”
Recent Examples on the Web
William Jones, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
Investing in regenerative technologies is both an imperative and an opportunity.
—Rose Marcario, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
David D. Ireland, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
The commercial imperatives of Broadway can be really healthy for naturally academic playwrights like James Ijames, one of contemporary American theater’s fiercest intellectuals and most committed deconstructionists.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for imperative 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Establish incident response plans No security framework is completely safe from attacks; that is why a proper incident response plan is imperative.
—William Jones, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
Investing in regenerative technologies is both an imperative and an opportunity.
—Rose Marcario, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
By emphasizing cultural intelligence and strategic inclusivity, CPM is not just a moral imperative but a business one.
—David D. Ireland, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
The commercial imperatives of Broadway can be really healthy for naturally academic playwrights like James Ijames, one of contemporary American theater’s fiercest intellectuals and most committed deconstructionists.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for imperative
Dictionary Entries Near imperative
Cite this Entry
“Imperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imperative. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
imperative
1 of 2 adjective
im·per·a·tive
im-ˈper-ət-iv
1
a
: of, relating to, or being the grammatical mood that expresses a command, request, or encouragement
b
: expressing a command, request, or strong encouragement
an imperative sentence
2
: impossible to avoid or ignore : urgent
imperatively
adverb
imperativeness
noun
imperative
2 of 2 noun1
: the imperative mood of a verb or a verb in this mood
2
: something that is imperative (as a command or required act)
Medical Definition
imperative
adjective
im·per·a·tive
im-ˈper-ət-iv
: eliciting a motor response
an imperative stimulus
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share