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1. Dictionary

   Im·per·a·tive

   /imˈperədiv/

   

   adjective

   • 1. of vital importance; crucial: "immediate action was imperative" Similar vitally importantof vital importanceall-importantvitalcrucialcriticalessentialof the essencea matter of life and deathof great consequencenecessaryindispensableexigentpressingurgentrequiredcompulsorymandatoryobligatoryOpposite unimportantoptional
   • 2. giving an authoritative command; peremptory: "the bell pealed again, a final imperative call" Similar peremptorycommandingimperiousauthoritativemasterfullordlymagisterialautocraticdictatorialdomineeringoverbearingassertivefirminsistentbossyhigh-handedoverweeningOpposite submissive
   • ▪ denoting the mood of a verb that expresses a command or exhortation, as in come here!

   noun

   • 1. an essential or urgent thing: "free movement of labor was an economic imperative"
   • ▪ a factor or influence making something necessary: "the change came about through a financial imperative"
   • 2. a verb or phrase in the imperative mood.
   • ▪ the imperative mood.

   Word Origin late Middle English (as a grammatical term): from late Latin imperativus (literally ‘specially ordered’, translating Greek prostatikē enklisis ‘imperative mood’), from imperare ‘to command’, from in- ‘towards’ + parare ‘make ready’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. imperatival adjective
   • 2. imperatively adverb
   • 3. imperativeness noun

   Scrabble Points: 17

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2. People also ask

   Where does the word imperative come from?

   • Imperative can be traced all the way back to the Latin word imperare, which means “to command.” This is the sense in which the word is used today in grammar, and you might have seen it going together with the words mood and sentence. The imperative mood is one of the four main verb moods in the English language.

   Imperative—Meaning and Usage | Grammarly Blog

   www.grammarly.com/blog/imperative/

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   What is an imperative sentence?

   • An imperative sentence is a sentence used to give commands or instructions or make requests, as in Give me that. It usually begins with a verb or a verb phrase. Imperative sentences often don’t have an apparent subject. Instead the subject is implied, usually the person who the speaker is giving the commands or instructions to.

   IMPERATIVE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   Is imperative a noun or adjective?

   • Imperative can be one of the following: An adjective meaning “completely necessary” or “very important,” but also “commanding.” A noun meaning “a necessity” or “something that is not avoidable,” but also “a command.” In grammar, imperative is also one of the four main verb moods.

   Imperative—Meaning and Usage | Grammarly Blog

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   What is an example of an imperative mood?

   • The imperative mood is one of the four main verb moods in the English language. As opposed to verb tenses, which indicate time, moods indicate states. The imperative mood indicates the state of commanding. Here’s an example of an imperative sentence: Sit down and eat your lunch. In this sentence, someone is giving a command.

   Imperative—Meaning and Usage | Grammarly Blog

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3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › imperativeImperative Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › imperative

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   Learn the meaning of imperative as an adjective and a noun, with synonyms, examples, and word history. Imperative can refer to something necessary, urgent, or expressive of a command or order.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › english › imperativeIMPERATIVE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › english › imperative

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   IMPERATIVE definition: 1. extremely important or urgent: 2. used to describe the form of a verb that is usually used for…. Learn more.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › imperativeIMPERATIVE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › imperative

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   What does imperative mean? In English grammar, we use mood to categorize verb forms by the attitude the speaker has toward what they are saying. The imperative mood is used when you are asking (or demanding) someone to do something, as with commands, directions, invitations, and warnings.

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7. dictionary.cambridge.org › imperativeIMPERATIVE definition | Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › imperative

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   Learn the meaning of imperative as an adjective and a noun, and how to use it in grammar and sentences. Find translations of imperative in different languages and a translator tool.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › imperativeImperative - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › imperative

   When something absolutely has to be done and cannot be put off, use the adjective imperative. Imperative is from Latin imperare, "to command," and its original use was for a verb form expressing a command: "Do it!" is an imperative sentence.

9. www.collinsdictionary.com › english › imperativeIMPERATIVE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › english › imperative

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   2 days ago · Learn the meaning of imperative as an adjective, noun, and grammar term. Find out how to use it in sentences and what words are similar to it.

10. www.grammarly.com › blog › imperativeImperative—Meaning and Usage | Grammarly Blog

    www.grammarly.com › blog › imperative

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    Sep 27, 2022 · Imperative can be an adjective, a noun, or a verb mood. Learn how to use it to describe something very important or commanding, and how to form imperative sentences with verbs.