the imperative
noun
grammar
: the form that a verb or sentence has when it is expressing a command
"Eat your spinach!" is in the imperative.
Examples of the imperative in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Leaders must now balance the imperative of maintaining operational continuity with the need to adapt quickly to a shifting landscape.
—
Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Without the imperative to invest in home furnishings, Holly Golightly can blow her powder-room money on Givenchy.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
But his desire to do so does coincide with the imperative of preventing Ukraine from losing and the autocratic axis from winning a war that is gradually, but unmistakably, going in the wrong direction.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Increasingly, senior corporate leaders are challenged to balance the drive for material gain with the imperative to create positive impact—while diligently minimizing any negative fallout.
—Nell Derick Debevoise, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the imperative
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Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Without the imperative to invest in home furnishings, Holly Golightly can blow her powder-room money on Givenchy.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
But his desire to do so does coincide with the imperative of preventing Ukraine from losing and the autocratic axis from winning a war that is gradually, but unmistakably, going in the wrong direction.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Increasingly, senior corporate leaders are challenged to balance the drive for material gain with the imperative to create positive impact—while diligently minimizing any negative fallout.
—Nell Derick Debevoise, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the imperative
Cite this Entry
“The imperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20imperative. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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