peremptory

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adjective pe·remp·to·ry \ pə-ˈrem(p)-t(ə-)rē \

Definition of peremptory

1 a :putting an end to or precluding a right of action, debate, or delay; specifically :not providing an opportunity to show cause why one should not comply

a peremptory mandamus

b :admitting of no contradiction

2 :expressive of urgency or command

a peremptory call

3 a :characterized by often imperious or arrogant self-assurance

how insolent of late he is become, how proud, how peremptory
—William Shakespeare

b :indicative of a peremptory attitude or nature :haughty

a peremptory tone

peremptory disregard of an objection

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peremptorily

play \pə-ˈrem(p)-t(ə-)rə-lē; -ˌrem(p)-ˈtȯr-ə-lē\ adverb

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peremptoriness

play \pə-ˈrem(p)-t(ə-)rē-nəs\ noun

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Examples of peremptory in a Sentence

Her peremptory tone angered me.
the governor's peremptory personal assistant began telling the crowd of reporters and photographers exactly where they had to stand

Recent Examples of peremptory from the Web

After an extensive debate with the lawyers at a private sidebar, Feinerman sustained the prosecution objection to the defense's peremptory challenge of a black juror who works security at Chicago Public Schools.

— gregory pratt, chicagotribune.com, "Video of shooting played in federal court as Chicago cop's trial begins," 22 Aug. 2017
Legal experts predicted that the defense would want black jurors and, in fact, Cosby's lawyers only struck whites with their peremptory challenges.

— ron allen, NBC News, "Twelve Jurors Selected for Bill Cosby Trial Amid Race Claim," 24 May 2017
The defense used six of its seven peremptory challenges, and the prosecution four.

— graham bowley and mark roth, New York Times, "Jury Is Selected for Bill Cosby Trial," 24 May 2017
The ’64 fair was a financial failure—its attendance of 51 million was nearly 20 million fewer than expected—and Moses’ peremptory management style (and $100,000-a-year salary) doomed him.

— adam rogers, Smithsonian, "What the Unisphere Tells Us About America at the Dawn of the Space Age," 23 May 2017
Juror number 12 was almost seated, but the Commonwealth used one of their peremptory strikes to remove her, CBS Pittsburgh reports.

— CBS News, "Bill Cosby's lawyers claim race bias in jury selection," 23 May 2017
While picking the 12 jurors, each side gets seven peremptory challenges to reject someone without giving a reason and another three challenges while selecting six alternates.

— tracy connor, NBC News, "Cosby Trial Gears Up With Jury Selection in Pennsylvania," 19 May 2017
Either side in a criminal case has one chance, a peremptory challenge, to disqualify a judge who might appear, based on past rulings, to pose some strategic disadvantage.

— gary klien, The Mercury News, "Marin coroner charged with sex crimes delays plea," 16 May 2017
Her peremptory conclusion, punctuated by another pedantic bell stroke, gets a laugh, because the meaning of this music, or of any music, is far from obvious.

— alex ross, The New Yorker, "Kate Soper’s Philosophy-Opera," 27 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peremptory.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Peremptory is ultimately from Latin perimere, which means "to take entirely" or "destroy" and comes from per- ("thoroughly") and emere ("to take"). Peremptory implies the removal of one's option to disagree or contest something. It sometimes suggests an abrupt dictatorial manner combined with an unwillingness to tolerate disobedience or dissent (as in "he was given a peremptory dismissal"). A related term is the adjective preemptive, which comes from Latin praeemere-from prae- ("before") plus emere. Preemptive means "marked by the seizing of the initiative" (as in "a preemptive attack").

Origin and Etymology of peremptory

Middle English peremptorie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin peremptorius, from Latin, destructive, from perimere to take entirely, destroy, from per- thoroughly + emere to take — more at redeem

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

peremptory Synonyms

Synonyms

authoritarian, authoritative, autocratic (also autocratical), despotic, dictatorial, domineering, imperious, masterful, overbearing, bossy, tyrannical (also tyrannic), tyrannous

Antonyms

elective, optional, voluntary

Near Antonyms

humble, meek, modest, unassuming; amenable, docile, obedient, tractable; indecisive, irresolute; acquiescent, compliant, passive, resigned, submissive, yielding

Synonym Discussion of peremptory

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

PEREMPTORY Defined for English Language Learners

peremptory

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adjective

Definition of peremptory for English Language Learners

—used to describe an order, command, etc., that you must obey without any questions or excuses
: having or showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they should be obeyed without question

Law Dictionary

peremptory

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adjective pe·remp·to·ry \ pə-ˈremp-tə-rē \

legal Definition of peremptory

1 :permitting no dispute, alternative, or delay; specifically :not providing an opportunity to show cause why one should not comply

when the right to require the performance of the act is clear and it is apparent that no valid excuse can be given for not performing it, a peremptory mandamus may be allowed
—Revised Statutes of Nebraska