Thesaurus

peremptory

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of peremptory

1 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

Synonyms of peremptory

authoritarian, authoritative, autocratic (also autocratical), bossy, despotic, dictatorial, domineering, imperious, masterful, overbearing, tyrannical (also tyrannic), tyrannous

Words Related to peremptory

arrogant, assumptive, disdainful, fastuous, haughty, highfalutin (also hifalutin), high-and-mighty, high-hat, huffy, important, lofty, lordly, overweening, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, proud, self-asserting, supercilious, superior, toplofty (also toploftical), uppish, uppity

commanding, controlling, dictating, regimental

arbitrary, high-handed, imperial

directorial, magisterial

aggressive, assertive, self-assertive

conceited, narcissistic, pompous, vain

all-powerful, almighty, omnipotent

Near Antonyms of peremptory

humble, meek, modest, unassuming

amenable, docile, obedient, tractable

indecisive, irresolute

acquiescent, compliant, passive, resigned, submissive, yielding

2 forcing one's compliance or participation by or as if by law

a peremptory summons to appear before the committee

Synonyms of peremptory

compulsory, forced, imperative, incumbent, involuntary, mandatory, necessary, nonelective, obligatory, required

Words Related to peremptory

all-important, essential, indispensable, needed, requisite

insistent, persistent, pressing, urgent

demanded, enforced

Near Antonyms of peremptory

chosen, discretionary

dispensable, unnecessary, unneeded, unwanted

inconsequential, insignificant, nonessential, unimportant

Antonyms of peremptory

elective, optional, voluntary

3 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

Synonyms of peremptory

arrogant, assumptive, bumptious, cavalier, chesty, haughty, high-and-mighty, high-handed, high-hat, highfalutin (also hifalutin), huffish, huffy, imperious, important, lofty, lordly, masterful, overweening, pompous, presuming, presumptuous, pretentious, self-asserting, self-assertive, sniffy, stiff-necked, supercilious, superior, toplofty (also toploftical), uppish, uppity

Words Related to peremptory

authoritarian, bossy, dominant, dominating, domineering, magisterial, pontifical, pontificating

condescending, disdainful, patronizing

impertinent, impudent, saucy

snobbish, snobby, snooty

blusterous, blustery, boastful, bombastic, braggart, bragging, braggy, cocky, swaggering, vain, vainglorious

complacent, conceited, egocentric, egoistic (also egoistical), egotistic (or egotistical), hubristic, narcissistic, orgulous, prideful, proud, self-affected, self-applauding, self-centered, self-complacent, self-conceited, self-pleased, self-satisfied, smug, stuck-up

self-flattering, self-loving, self-promoting

brash, forward, uninhibited, unreserved

extroverted (also extraverted), immodest

Near Antonyms of peremptory

bashful, cowering, cringing, demure, diffident, introverted, mousy (or mousey), overmodest, self-critical, self-doubting, sheepish, shrinking, shy, subdued, timid

acquiescent, compliant, deferential, meek, passive, submissive, unaggressive, unassertive, unassuming, unobtrusive, yielding

quiet, reserved, retiring

Antonyms of peremptory

humble, lowly, modest, unarrogant, unpretentious

4 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

Synonyms of peremptory

arbitrary, dictatorial, high-handed, imperious, willful (or wilful)

Words Related to peremptory

arrogant, commanding, demanding, dominant, domineering, haughty, imperative, lordly, masterful, overbearing, presumptuous

authoritarian, autocratic (also autocratical), despotic, totalitarian, tyrannical (also tyrannic), tyrannous

capricious, changeable, erratic, inconsistent, mercurial, whimsical

biased, inequitable, partisan, prejudiced, unequal, unfair, unjust, unrealistic, unreasonable

unconscionable, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous

Near Antonyms of peremptory

balanced, disinterested, dispassionate, equal, equitable, evenhanded, fair, impartial, just, nonpartisan, objective

rational, reasonable, understanding

unbiased, unprejudiced

ethical, honorable, irreproachable, law-abiding, moral, principled, unimpeachable

Synonym Discussion of peremptory

masterful, domineering, imperious, peremptory, imperative mean tending to impose one's will on others. masterful implies a strong personality and ability to act authoritatively.

- her masterful personality soon dominated the movement

domineering suggests an overbearing or arbitrary manner and an obstinate determination to enforce one's will.

- children controlled by domineering parents

imperious implies a commanding nature or manner and often suggests arrogant assurance.

- an imperious executive used to getting his own way

peremptory implies an abrupt dictatorial manner coupled with an unwillingness to brook disobedience or dissent.

- given a peremptory dismissal

imperative implies peremptoriness arising more from the urgency of the situation than from an inherent will to dominate.

- an imperative appeal for assistance

Learn More about peremptory

Dictionary: Definition of peremptory Spanish Central: Translation of peremptory Nglish: Translation of peremptory for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up peremptory? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments

WORD OF THE DAY

inexorable

not to be persuaded, moved, or stopped