IMPERATIVES Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

imperatives

noun

plural of imperative

as in instructions

a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned a secretary of defense who was fond of issuing harshly worded imperatives

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in obligations

something one must do because of prior agreement although he had little taste for the social imperatives that come with being governor, he put on a brave face

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of imperatives Unfortunately, when new imperatives are issued absent of a strategy – a shared goal, clear communication, and team supports – implementation is fragmented and reinforces the functional siloes that already exist. —

Shani Harmon, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 Efforts to strengthen domestic supply chains, upgrade advanced manufacturing, and invest heavily in strategic technologies, from cutting-edge semiconductors to next-generation 6G connectivity, are framed not merely as economic initiatives, but as imperatives of national security. —

Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026 If allowed to stand, this poses problems for utilities, grid operators, and regulators who plan for decades-long timeframes, only to be overruled by short-term political imperatives that favor certain industries. —

Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026 In a new First Opinion essay, two researchers explain the importance of laboratories like this one, as well as the economic and moral imperatives to protect them. —

Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 9 Apr. 2026 But there is no description that captures the many sides of the rabbi’s soul, and so Koestenbaum offers a gloriously Sisyphean attempt, a measure of respect for the human in all its biological imperatives and psychological complexity. —

Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026 But where those efforts have been driven primarily by cultural imperatives, Prasad sees restoration increasingly as a commercial proposition – and one with global reach. —

Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026 National security imperatives now suggest that Iran will go towards nuclear weapons — that their strategy over 20 years of trying to have an open nuclear program that could be monitored by [the International Atomic Energy Agency] was a mistake. —

Mishal Husain, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026 Indeed, the Framers recognized these imperatives, along with the tension inherent between congressional authority and the President’s role as Commander-in-Chief. —

Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperatives

Noun

Below, check out the differences between the VPNs, along with step-by-step instructions on how to use them to watch Love Island UK in the US.

— Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 1 June 2026
Hence, sharing complex mission data or receiving new instructions forces the drones to halt operations and swim all the way back to the surface.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 June 2026