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
And perhaps that is why the imperative that this 2026 team faces is not just to win — but to entertain.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
19 June 2026
Trauma’s intensity and unknowable nature are perhaps what gives us the imperative to try to communicate it.
—
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
For Bonhomme and Anthony, the imperative was to mix codes and break the rules.
—
Rachel Davies,
Architectural Digest,
12 June 2026
Cantwell, for her part, placed the imperative of the college sports system within the great-power competition, describing it as a strategic asset in America’s educational arms race with China.
—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the imperative
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
19 June 2026
Trauma’s intensity and unknowable nature are perhaps what gives us the imperative to try to communicate it.
—
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
For Bonhomme and Anthony, the imperative was to mix codes and break the rules.
—
Rachel Davies,
Architectural Digest,
12 June 2026
Cantwell, for her part, placed the imperative of the college sports system within the great-power competition, describing it as a strategic asset in America’s educational arms race with China.
—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
3 June 2026
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 7 Jul. 2026.
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