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
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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
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
Meanwhile, an array of new pressures—state power, domestic politics, national-security imperatives—have been piled atop those already weighing on a for-profit company in a race to deploy a volatile new technology.
—Harry Booth, Time, 11 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
The situation has exposed a fault line between two competing imperatives.
—Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 3 Mar. 2026
Unlike many slow-moving urban mammoths, this could be a model for how to integrate local desires with capitalist imperatives to deliver your friendly neighborhood megaproject.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 Feb. 2026
For firms seeking success in today’s high-pressure market, there are a few core imperatives.
—Abdulla Belhoul, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
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
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
Meanwhile, an array of new pressures—state power, domestic politics, national-security imperatives—have been piled atop those already weighing on a for-profit company in a race to deploy a volatile new technology.
—Harry Booth, Time, 11 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
The situation has exposed a fault line between two competing imperatives.
—Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 3 Mar. 2026
Unlike many slow-moving urban mammoths, this could be a model for how to integrate local desires with capitalist imperatives to deliver your friendly neighborhood megaproject.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 Feb. 2026
For firms seeking success in today’s high-pressure market, there are a few core imperatives.
—Abdulla Belhoul, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperatives
Noun
-
So, the mission team gave the Artemis 2 crew some instructions.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
To switch to Google Messages, Samsung's website gives users instructions to download the app from the Play Store, if not already on their phone, and set it as the default.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The letter declared the company in default of its contractual obligations with Miami-Dade County and demanded a fix to problems that had forced garages to let an unknown number of travelers exit without paying.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
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Lamont and the legislature also failed to budget adequately for certain legal obligations.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Like most of her peers, Agnes follows her country’s various repressive edicts directed toward young women.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Covid-19 bred doubt about government edicts and skepticism about science, provoking an existential battle for truth.—
Richard Edelman,
Time,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The job of transit ambassador entails a mixture of responsibilities not necessarily implied by the name.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
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That’s hardly a complete list of her responsibilities; her title is now CEO, AGI deployment.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Information flows upward through layers of reporting, and directives flow downward through chains of command.—
Lawrence Rosenberg,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
What the report found In response to the allegations in Minnesota, Abbott issued six directives to the state workforce and human services commissions to identify if Texas had a problem with improper payments, specifically with fraud.—
Jess Huff,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Because this energy is centered in Scorpio and Cancer, we’re blessed with the depth of soul needed to accept the true needs of others and ourselves.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Specifically, one cup of dairy milk offers 310 milligrams of calcium (about 25 percent of your daily needs) and 8 grams of complete protein, according to Ehsani.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
It was written by an agency that no longer exists, and 17 specific orders haven’t been updated since 2001.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
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The following month, a hit squad, reportedly acting on bin Salman’s orders, strangled Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist who had been critical of the regime, and used a bone saw to dismember his corpse.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But Setrakian claimed California and Texas law protect public officials from defamation claims even in fundraising so long as the offending comments can be reasonably connected to his official duties.—
Will Swaim,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Also in that story is a look at how the Padres catchers are balancing their offensive and defensive duties, and Jeff hustled out to the box seats atop the Green Monster to talk to the Padres fan who caught Machado’s homer.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperatives. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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