imperial 1 of 2

adjective

im-ˈpir-ē-əl How to pronounce imperial (audio)
Definition of imperialnext
as in magnificent
large and impressive in size, grandeur, extent, or conception envisioned an imperial city that would rival the capitals of Europe for beauty and magnificence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

imperial

2 of 2

noun

as in plum

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 imperial
Adjective
By early 1775, Quebec’s governor complained that this letter was stirring up the population by planting dangerous doubts about British imperial authority. — Sarah M.s. Pearsall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 These battles have completely receded from the American imagination, even though, in some ways, the American rebellion was a sideshow to a far greater imperial drama. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
Noun
Crab imperial is a dish featuring lump crab in its purest form, enhanced only by a light imperial sauce, without the additional binders used to make crab cakes. — Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 8 July 2023 The Quechan Tribe has successfully fought mining on and near sacred lands on BLM lands north of their current tribal lands in Imperial County, California. — Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2023 See All Example Sentences for imperial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperial
  1. magnificent
  2. plum
  3. glorious
  4. diamond
  5. epic
  6. pearl
  7. royal
  8. crown jewel
Adjective
  • The gods speak obtusely, even in Nolan’s script, but this magnificent epic leaves us with the ability to heed their meaning.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
  • While hiking trails will be a challenge for those with mobility issues, the main thoroughfare through Muir Woods will not be and invites everyone to enjoy these magnificent trees and space.
    — Kimberley Lovato, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
Definition of magnificent
Noun
  • Its scent lasts for hours and contains warm, rich notes of black amber, vanilla, plum, and jasmine — the perfect ratio of floral and fruit.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • Toka plums will self-pollinate but can still benefit from having another plum tree nearby.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026
Definition of plum
Adjective
  • Created by Chicago painter Nathaniel Mary Quinn, the image mashes up caricatures of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ron Wood into a glorious grotesquerie that channels the colorful glam-trash aesthetics of the band’s late-’70s phase.
    — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 13 July 2026
  • There are few things more glorious than walking along the lake in my hometown.
    — Rima Suqi, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Definition of glorious
Noun
  • The brooch features a milky blue cabochon gemstone set between two bands of diamonds.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 15 July 2026
  • With each passing day that the jewels remain missing, fears grow that these pieces of French national heritage have been dismantled, their famed emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds cut apart and sold on the black market.
    — Tessa Solomon for ARTnews, Robb Report, 14 July 2026
Definition of diamond
Adjective
  • Next up is a 32% clearance on the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus outdoor speaker, a rugged, floating boombox engineered to make your parties epic.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 14 July 2026
  • In an era when soundbites and short clips reign supreme, some of the most powerful people in the world are sitting down with Lex Fridman to have conversations of epic length.
    — Leslie Horn Peterson, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of epic
Noun
  • The baroque pearl necklace has become something of a cult accessory, beloved by those who want to express their individuality.
    — Selene Oliva, Glamour, 13 July 2026
  • At Trooping the Colour on June 13, Kate and Charlotte wore matching three-strand pearl bracelets; Kate’s is a royal heirloom, a Nigel Milne bracelet that once belonged to Diana, who famously wore it on a royal tour of Hong Kong in 1989.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 13 July 2026
Definition of pearl
Adjective
  • Weapons are also commonly discovered in these tombs, but not only next to royal men.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 17 July 2026
  • Charlotte may have royal roots, but the city doesn’t scream about its culture.
    — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of royal
Noun
  • Fallout remains an enormously popular and beloved video game adaptation on Amazon Prime Video, and is one of the service’s crown jewels.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • An estimated 20 objects were snatched from the institution, in a country still reeling from the dramatic theft of its crown jewels from the Louvre in October.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of crown jewel

Browse Nearby Words

imperfectness
imperial
imperialism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Imperial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperial. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on imperial

Nglish: Translation of imperial for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All