1
as in authoritarian
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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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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4
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
as war casualties mounted, the need for trained nurses became imperious
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as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
the imperiousness of that fashion designer irritates everyone around her
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imperious
Michael Cox, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Wilson, a former university president with an imperious air, returned from Europe a hero.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
Just four days after the satisfaction of chalking up back-to-back away wins in the league for the first time all season, Wrexham’s one-time imperious home form took another dent as a third game at the STōK Cae Ras passed without maximum points being claimed.
—Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Slot’s team drew at Nottingham Forest and, on the weekend, 90 goalless minutes had passed at Brentford with a feeling that the imperious phase was finally at an end.
—Darren Richman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Adjective
But against Spain, the imperious combination that has been lacking for Wiegman’s side over the past 12 months returned.
—Michael Cox, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Wilson, a former university president with an imperious air, returned from Europe a hero.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2025
Just four days after the satisfaction of chalking up back-to-back away wins in the league for the first time all season, Wrexham’s one-time imperious home form took another dent as a third game at the STōK Cae Ras passed without maximum points being claimed.
—Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Slot’s team drew at Nottingham Forest and, on the weekend, 90 goalless minutes had passed at Brentford with a feeling that the imperious phase was finally at an end.
—Darren Richman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperious
Adjective
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To his critics, his centralization of power and ruthless purge of opponents put Malaysia on an authoritarian trajectory.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
2 May 2025
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Singapore, for instance, is highly economically free but sharply socially authoritarian.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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That doesn’t portray a hero, but rather someone so arrogant as to invent his own law and appoint himself its executioner.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2025
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Maybe so, but that’s an arrogant thing for such a young killer to say.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The plaintiffs had argued that the geographic targeting order was unlawfully issued without undergoing the notice-and-comment procedures prescribed by federal law and that the rule is arbitrary and capricious under federal law.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2025
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Most times, these changes are a result of the over-analysis of some arbitrary KPIs meant to gauge the health and growth of the platform.—
Solo Ceesay,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As the exhibition illustrated, Pan-Africanism also corresponded with urgent anti-colonial, anti-apartheid, and civil rights movements worldwide.—
Delinda Collier,
Artforum,
1 May 2025
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That is the urgent story that authors Allen and Parnes ignored.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
1 May 2025
Noun
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Solskjaer felt that overconfidence bordering on arrogance might be PSG’s Achilles’ heel.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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Titan: Plunges into the chilling 2023 submersible tragedy, peeling back the layers of ambition, arrogance, and a lack of oversight that led to catastrophe.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As mild-mannered schoolteacher Mr. Lisbon, James Woods plays a quiet counterpoint to his domineering wife.—
Sezin Devi Koehler,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Among them towers the frighteningly domineering Honoria Glossop.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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According to the pharmaceutical company, the campaign encourages people to proactively discuss their acute pain management plan with their doctor and support system.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
People.com,
1 May 2025
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Museums are imperiled by acute financial, social, and ideological challenges.—
Eric Crosby,
Artforum,
1 May 2025
Noun
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Murrow worked on Adlai Stevenson’s presidential campaign while at CBS, excusing his partiality as moral and intellectual superiority.—
Armond White,
National Review,
30 Apr. 2025
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The three fundamental pillars of relative superiority are: • It is achieved at the pivotal moment of an engagement.—
Chris Harris,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Imperious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperious. Accessed 8 May. 2025.
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