imperious

adjective

im·​pe·​ri·​ous im-ˈpir-ē-əs 

1

a

: marked by arrogant assurance : domineering

… a kind of arrogant potentate too imperious to acknowledge weaknesses common to ordinary men.

—Robert Dalleck

b

: befitting or characteristic of one of eminent rank or attainments : commanding, dominant

an imperious manner

2

: intensely compelling : urgent

… the imperious problems of the new age.

—John F. Kennedy

imperiously adverb

imperiousness noun

Synonyms of imperious

• domineering
• authoritarian
• arrogant
• authoritative
• autocratic
• despotic
• tyrannical
• aggressive

Choose the Right Synonym for imperious

masterful, domineering, imperious, peremptory, imperative mean tending to impose one's will on others.

masterful implies a strong personality and ability to act authoritatively.

her masterful personality soon dominated the movement

domineering suggests an overbearing or arbitrary manner and an obstinate determination to enforce one's will.

children controlled by domineering parents

imperious implies a commanding nature or manner and often suggests arrogant assurance.

an imperious executive used to getting his own way

peremptory implies an abrupt dictatorial manner coupled with an unwillingness to brook disobedience or dissent.

given a peremptory dismissal

imperative implies peremptoriness arising more from the urgency of the situation than from an inherent will to dominate.

an imperative appeal for assistance

Examples of imperious in a Sentence

an imperious little boy who liked to tell the other scouts what to do

an imperious movie star who thinks she's some sort of goddess

Recent Examples on the Web

Everybody on our side understands that impeachment is a critical tool in the toolbox for constitutional self-defense against a president acting like a king, an imperious, lawless, arrogant king. — NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026

Only two players — team-mate Aleix Garcia and the imperious Joshua Kimmich — completed more line-breaking passes per 90 minutes on the pitch. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

The imperious Brennan began as a lowly field operative for the all-powerful World Security Bureau, but ended his run with McKenna in the driver’s seat as the head of the WSB’s Port Charles office. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026

Rather than approaching Báthory through conventional psychological realism, Ottinger conceived Huppert’s vampire as an imperious, almost mythic presence. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin imperiōsus "exercising authority, domineering," from imperium "authority over family members and slaves exercised by the head of a household, supreme administrative authority, dominion" + -ōsus -ous — more at empire

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for imperious

• delirious
• mysterious
• deleterious
• nereus
• serious
• sirius

Kids Definition

imperious

adjective

im·​pe·​ri·​ous im-ˈpir-ē-əs 

1

: behaving like someone who is a supreme ruler

2

: imperative entry 1 sense 2, urgent

the imperious problems of a new age

imperiously adverb

imperiousness noun