the imperative

noun

grammar

: the form that a verb or sentence has when it is expressing a command

"Eat your spinach!" is in the imperative.

Examples of the imperative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In my opinion, the imperative for AI startups and content rightsholders to work together could not be higher. — Tomas Milar, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Presently, in this de jure socialist country that officially condemns capitalism, markets and the imperative of earning hard cash shape people’s daily lives. — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026

Meaning the burn of this loss, the clarifying reality check and the imperative to improve. — Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026

How Facebook attempted to reconcile its data on such issues with the imperative to keep driving user engagement became the main subject of the Facebook Files, a series of reports published by the Journal in late 2021. — Marley Marius, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for the imperative

• comparative
• declarative
• preparative