1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imperatives
Today, nuclear is firmly back on the global energy agenda, driven by the dual imperatives of energy security and climate goals.
—
Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This past year also was elevated by the success that the league’s TV partners had in harnessing the lure of live game coverage to drive larger corporate imperatives — namely, building up the streaming platforms that represent the future for the parent companies of NBC, CBS, ESPN/ABC and Fox.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 28 Jan. 2026
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, presides over the space, transmitting the spleen and the constantly shifting imperatives of the President.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Who knows the reasons for this choice—band dynamics are a psychedelic kaleidoscope of competing imperatives—but whatever the case, by 2003’s Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Murdoch had been largely restored to creative primacy, on both that record and The Life Pursuit.
—Elizabeth Nelson, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
The meeting comes as the president reignites his push to take control of Greenland, citing national security imperatives.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2026
There is a recently burgeoning genre of documentaries — usually either celebrity or true crime in focus — driven not by aesthetic or storytelling imperatives but by (self-)promotional machinery.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, China created an extensive space program driven by scientific, economic, and military imperatives.
—Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2025
Achieve known and ‘easily’ attainable upside early on; diversify risk; avoid ‘betting’ the company on one initiative; postpone critical risks until the organization is appropriately prepared; simplify so attention is directed to a handful of key imperatives.
—David Podolsky, Fortune, 19 Nov. 2025
Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This past year also was elevated by the success that the league’s TV partners had in harnessing the lure of live game coverage to drive larger corporate imperatives — namely, building up the streaming platforms that represent the future for the parent companies of NBC, CBS, ESPN/ABC and Fox.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 28 Jan. 2026
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, presides over the space, transmitting the spleen and the constantly shifting imperatives of the President.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Who knows the reasons for this choice—band dynamics are a psychedelic kaleidoscope of competing imperatives—but whatever the case, by 2003’s Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Murdoch had been largely restored to creative primacy, on both that record and The Life Pursuit.
—Elizabeth Nelson, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
The meeting comes as the president reignites his push to take control of Greenland, citing national security imperatives.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2026
There is a recently burgeoning genre of documentaries — usually either celebrity or true crime in focus — driven not by aesthetic or storytelling imperatives but by (self-)promotional machinery.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, China created an extensive space program driven by scientific, economic, and military imperatives.
—Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2025
Achieve known and ‘easily’ attainable upside early on; diversify risk; avoid ‘betting’ the company on one initiative; postpone critical risks until the organization is appropriately prepared; simplify so attention is directed to a handful of key imperatives.
—David Podolsky, Fortune, 19 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperatives
Noun
-
Follow instructions from local health officials and check back for updates.—
Jose Fabian,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
When purchasing a heated bird bath, always read the manufacturer instructions to ensure they are rated for your local temperatures.—
Anne Readel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These bond authorizations create obligations to repay borrowing for priorities as wide-ranging as health facilities, water infrastructure and wildfire prevention.—
Lanhee J. Chen,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
These financial obligations can even create pressure to dismiss fair settlement offers in search of larger returns for investors.—
Jaime Huff,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Covid-19 bred doubt about government edicts and skepticism about science, provoking an existential battle for truth.—
Richard Edelman,
Time,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Trump edicts weigh on stocks this week Geopolitical risks have weighed on investor sentiment this week.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Maybe weekly status updates are inconsistent, decisions get delayed because of unclear responsibilities or communication across departments stalls because of missing context.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The hiring process, a collaborative effort with Posey, general manager Zack Minasian and the rest of the front office, has acted as another sort of crash course on the responsibilities of an MLB manager.—
Evan Webeck,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Estates without clear directives can be subject to lengthy and expensive probate court proceedings, which can consume up to 10% of an estate's value and take months or even years to resolve, Childfree Trust said in its report.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Gabbard said the president did not ask any questions and did not issue any directives.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The vehicles can also be built to be recoverable in support of ever-changing mission needs.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
-
And, though able to navigate a great deal of the daily routine, Anna has gaps that will widen as her parents’ needs become more demanding.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The women have frequently shared their custom dirty soda orders and helped catapult the once-niche drink, often guzzled from 44-ounce mega cups, into the spotlight.—
Brittany Anas,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
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Such orders are standard in criminal cases in order to protect the integrity of a trial.—
James Hill,
ABC News,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Augmentation pulls teachers, case managers, and maintenance workers away from their core duties, eroding programs intended to reduce recidivism and maintain humane conditions.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The appeals court, however, said staying the injunction serves the public interest by preventing federal agents from hesitating while carrying out lawful duties.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperatives. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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