1
as in domineering
fond of ordering people around
an imperious little boy who liked to tell the other scouts what to do
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
an imperious movie star who thinks she's some sort of goddess
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arbitrary
having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity
an office administrator with an imperious manner that really grates on people
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
as war casualties mounted, the need for trained nurses became imperious
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imperious
Bundelkhand is represented by Maans ke Dahi Bade, a lamb-and-lentil recipe improvised by Maharaja Digvijaya Singh of Sailana, while Panna finds its spot through the imperious-sounding Aash-e-Sangsheer.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Thus André Breton—the imperious leader of the French Surrealist group with which Alberto Giacometti had made common cause in the late 1920s—chided the artist for his return to sculpting human likenesses after 1935.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
As Rose’s impoverished yet imperious mother Ruth, Parson’s dry deliveries offer great comic ballast to this ship of fools.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
My sister, Louise, had spent hours perfecting the screechy, imperious cry of Starscream, only to use it when phoning the takeaway and ordering curry sauce and chips.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Thus André Breton—the imperious leader of the French Surrealist group with which Alberto Giacometti had made common cause in the late 1920s—chided the artist for his return to sculpting human likenesses after 1935.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
As Rose’s impoverished yet imperious mother Ruth, Parson’s dry deliveries offer great comic ballast to this ship of fools.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
My sister, Louise, had spent hours perfecting the screechy, imperious cry of Starscream, only to use it when phoning the takeaway and ordering curry sauce and chips.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperious
Adjective
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Galitzine is taking on the iconic role of Adam Glenn, an exiled alien on Earth who learns that the domineering villain Skeletor is terrorizing his home world of Eternia.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
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Haverill is introduced in season 1 as a domineering borough commander who antagonizes Det.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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As Molloy gradually succeeds in puncturing Lestat’s aloof, arrogant outer shell, his sound correspondingly shifts from assaultive punk to more contemplative ballads.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
7 June 2026
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But Lobo isn't some mindless arrogant hulk out to impose his indomitable will.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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As a result, the exploit can decrement the variable an arbitrary number of times and then delete and free the chain when some objects still point to it.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
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The French overthrew millennia of arbitrary hereditary rule but soon devolved into terror and war.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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The regulation of our environment; the presence of chemicals both intentionally and unwittingly in our food, water, air, and land; the ecological fate of all living creatures, and of the earth itself—all these dilemmas and conundrums find urgent expression in Carson’s work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
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But for younger generations, these messages have become even more urgent.—
Staff Author,
Parents,
7 June 2026
Adjective
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Regardless of why Americans express neutrality, those who do so are just as likely to vote for authoritarian politicians as the relatively small number of Americans (less than 1 in 5) who explicitly support undemocratic practices.—
Matthew E.K. Hall,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
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Safety regulations – intended to constrain corporate power – in authoritarian regimes become tools to coerce compliance.—
Michael Gregory,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Vandenberg, a mom of two, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2009.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
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The state faces a severe shortage of mental health beds, as residents in 24 of the 58 counties do not have access to acute psychiatric hospital services, according to California Hospital Association.—
Philip Wang,
Time,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Silver’s background played an instrumental role in the NBA building a credible and authoritative case to expel Ballmer’s predecessor, Donald Sterling, as Clippers owner after Sterling’s racist comments led to NBA players threatening a boycott and sponsors cutting ties with the Clippers.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
2 June 2026
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Read the authoritative profile of how Wilson has worked to make Homer modern.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
New Yorker,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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But there simply aren’t that many people who want an autocratic America.—
Matthew E.K. Hall,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
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Putin was also at the parade, with the three autocratic leaders putting on an unprecedented show of unity.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperious. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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