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.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

But liking or disliking Trump has nothing whatever to do with the imperative of highlighting the clear and present danger the unhinged ex-president continues to pose to our country and our system of democracy. —Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2023

Shaya and Fenves talk with correspondent Lee Cowan about how food can offer solace in the midst of suffering, and provide the imperative to remember. —David Morgan, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2023

Political and financial will is key The report also highlights the imperative role of financing adaptation and mitigation measures. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 20 Mar. 2023

That’s not just because of the imperative of thwarting bass reproduction, but also because the meltwater set to flow toward Lake Powell is currently forecast to be well above average, a condition that may not soon return in this century of megadrought. —Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2023

Over the past year, studios have embarked on a spree of layoffs, mergers and cost-cutting efforts as the imperative to grow subscribers for platforms like Disney+ or HBO Max or Paramount+ or Peacock dissolved into showing when those services can become profitable. —Erik Hayden, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2023

But even small tweaks mark an act of resistance, one rooted in a sense of duty and faith in a near-term victory over Russia by Ukrainian forces, as much as the imperative of making ends meet. —Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Mar. 2023

And doing so opens up the opportunity (or perhaps the imperative) to generalize. —IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2023

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