1
as in authoritarian
fond of ordering people around
the governor's peremptory personal assistant began telling the crowd of reporters and photographers exactly where they had to stand
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2
as in compulsory
forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law
a peremptory summons to appear before the committee
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3
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
she had such a peremptory approach to running the club that people started to avoid her
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4
as in arbitrary
having or showing a tendency to force one's will on others without any regard to fairness or necessity
a peremptory insistence that the staff wait on them first
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of peremptory
Less than twenty-four hours after O’Keefe was pronounced dead, the lead investigator on the case, a Massachusetts state trooper named Michael Proctor, shared his peremptory impressions of Read over texts with friends, which he was forced to read aloud on the stand.
—
Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
The biggest payoff from this strategy came in 1991, when the Eleventh Circuit ruled in Horton v. Zant that a prosecutor had systematically used peremptory strikes to eliminate Black jurors from his cases, particularly in cases involving a Black person charged with killing a white person.
—Robert L. Tsai / Made By History, TIME, 28 June 2024
If both sides were allowed an unlimited number of peremptory strikes, impaneling a jury in any trial would prove an impossible task.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
The parties are allowed to strike an unlimited number of jurors for cause, while each side is permitted ten peremptory strikes, which are used to excuse jurors for any reason.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for peremptory
Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
The biggest payoff from this strategy came in 1991, when the Eleventh Circuit ruled in Horton v. Zant that a prosecutor had systematically used peremptory strikes to eliminate Black jurors from his cases, particularly in cases involving a Black person charged with killing a white person.
—Robert L. Tsai / Made By History, TIME, 28 June 2024
If both sides were allowed an unlimited number of peremptory strikes, impaneling a jury in any trial would prove an impossible task.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
The parties are allowed to strike an unlimited number of jurors for cause, while each side is permitted ten peremptory strikes, which are used to excuse jurors for any reason.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for peremptory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peremptory
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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Thus, players are limited by a carve out for compulsory and non-compulsory tournaments.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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Jack would begin a compulsory ninety-day psychiatric evaluation in the California Institution for Men in Chino, a rough place known to be brutal to younger inmates for the same possession charges.—
Susannah Cahalan,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The targets of Trump’s economic aggression will accept greater hardship to preserve their dignity than American voters will for the privilege of acting like arrogant menaces.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
29 Apr. 2025
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This feud carries on today, with Hogan having called out Hart for being too arrogant.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Even the country’s closest democratic allies and largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, faced ridicule, seemingly arbitrary import tax rates, and threats of territorial ambition.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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Volkswagen, meanwhile, had its own arbitrary rules, limiting subpoenas to fewer than seven days’ worth of data.—
Dell Cameron,
Wired News,
28 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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Alvarez had held the undisputed super middleweight crown, but the IBF stripped Alvarez of its belt in July 2024 after Alvarez failed to make a mandatory title defense against Scull.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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This even prohibits complimenting the food, which is practically considered mandatory these days.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The partial answer, one that feels weirdly isolated from just about everything else in the show, is that the detention center has a drama program whose teacher (Bat-Chen Sabag) sees something extraordinary in him—the same thing that makes Zoro perceive Dean as superior and thus worth protecting.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
2 May 2025
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Collectively, these developments point to robotics as a new standard of care—one that delivers superior outcomes for patients facing a wide range of serious conditions.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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During her last five years as Deputy Bureau Chief, Chloe has brought her sharp editorial expertise and field experience to deliver authoritative coverage, competitive scoops and breaking news.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2025
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Despite widespread panic, Lee’s character has to look authoritative, calm and in control.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Peremptory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peremptory. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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