1
as in domineering
fond of ordering people around
an imperious little boy who liked to tell the other scouts what to do
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
as war casualties mounted, the need for trained nurses became imperious
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imperious
But satisfaction isn’t in the cards for this general’s daughter, famed for her beauty and imperious style.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Ever since Tonali offered an honest appraisal of his own long-term future on Tyneside in early November, there have been scant few occasions in which the Italian has delivered his imperious best.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Sun Ra was simultaneously impish and imperious, bossing us with wiggles of his hands.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
An imperious figure with a tendency to grandstand, Yermak feuded with a succession of Western diplomats and just about everyone in Zelensky’s entourage.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Ever since Tonali offered an honest appraisal of his own long-term future on Tyneside in early November, there have been scant few occasions in which the Italian has delivered his imperious best.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Sun Ra was simultaneously impish and imperious, bossing us with wiggles of his hands.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
An imperious figure with a tendency to grandstand, Yermak feuded with a succession of Western diplomats and just about everyone in Zelensky’s entourage.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperious
Adjective
-
Netflix’s domineering presence, one that permeated every corner of a typically sacred day at the ballpark, had mercifully evaporated.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Wrapping production last October, Carrie is described as a reimagining of the story of misfit high schooler Carrie White, who has spent her life in seclusion with her domineering mother.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The rabbi is ornery, arrogant, sometimes cruel.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
What’s to blame for all these arbitrary governing principles?—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Black folks have seen the face of the US’s prerogative state—the side of the government that dispenses arbitrary jurisprudence, discriminatory law enforcement, and violence against those who challenge its authority and dominant ideologies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Pundits say the public is too divided, the issues too technical, and the competition with China too urgent for democracy.—
Justin Rosenstein,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Decisions move farther from classrooms, reforms take longer to implement and urgent problems become administrative processes.—
Daniel L Gordon,
Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Organizers and protesters fear America is on a path toward authoritarian rule.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The President has, in ICE, a quasi-authoritarian force at his disposal.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Take, for example, radiation, which with moderate exposures can increase an astronaut’s long-term risk of cancer and with heavy doses can cause acute sickness.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
-
His masterful short stories revolve around distinctive characters with profound empathy and acute detail.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These articles add depth to a brand’s digital footprint and act as authoritative signals when AI tools evaluate credibility.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Michigan soon may have a more authoritative accounting.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This means that filmmakers out of favor with autocratic regimes—including, in Iran, some of the nation’s greatest artists—don’t stand a chance, and some of the most notable recent Iranian films have been submitted by other countries.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Tens of thousands protested in Prague against populist Andrej Babiš’ new government, comparing it to increasingly autocratic Hungary and Slovakia.—
Karel Janicek,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperious. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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