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
The ad urged Daria—in the imperative case—to discover her true beauty.
—
Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
So that was the imperative that the president was talking about.
—ABC News, 28 Sep. 2025
The mode is one of willing commendation, trading on the imperative, hortative and jussive moods, the latter two of which have long disappeared from the English tongue.
—Elaine L. Wang
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
And so, as this deluge of data overwhelms us with such velocity, the imperative is ensuring that decisions are well-informed by precise, whole and transparent evidence.
—Anna Forsythe, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the imperative
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Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
So that was the imperative that the president was talking about.
—ABC News, 28 Sep. 2025
The mode is one of willing commendation, trading on the imperative, hortative and jussive moods, the latter two of which have long disappeared from the English tongue.
—Elaine L. Wang
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
And so, as this deluge of data overwhelms us with such velocity, the imperative is ensuring that decisions are well-informed by precise, whole and transparent evidence.
—Anna Forsythe, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the imperative
Cite this Entry
“The imperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20imperative. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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