1
as in domineering
fond of ordering people around
an imperious little boy who liked to tell the other scouts what to do
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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
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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
Bundelkhand is represented by Maans ke Dahi Bade, a lamb-and-lentil recipe improvised by Maharaja Digvijaya Singh of Sailana, while Panna finds its spot through the imperious-sounding Aash-e-Sangsheer.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Thus André Breton—the imperious leader of the French Surrealist group with which Alberto Giacometti had made common cause in the late 1920s—chided the artist for his return to sculpting human likenesses after 1935.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
As Rose’s impoverished yet imperious mother Ruth, Parson’s dry deliveries offer great comic ballast to this ship of fools.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
My sister, Louise, had spent hours perfecting the screechy, imperious cry of Starscream, only to use it when phoning the takeaway and ordering curry sauce and chips.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Thus André Breton—the imperious leader of the French Surrealist group with which Alberto Giacometti had made common cause in the late 1920s—chided the artist for his return to sculpting human likenesses after 1935.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026
As Rose’s impoverished yet imperious mother Ruth, Parson’s dry deliveries offer great comic ballast to this ship of fools.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
My sister, Louise, had spent hours perfecting the screechy, imperious cry of Starscream, only to use it when phoning the takeaway and ordering curry sauce and chips.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperious
Adjective
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Down at the bottom of the hierarchy, or really not ranked at all, is Lucien (Jérémy Gillet), a fey and cosseted twink of privilege who longs to meet Jim but is kept at home, safely away from anything gay, by his domineering mother.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
-
Arenberg will play the sisters’ domineering father.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The tricky part of being a celebrity like Firstman on the internet is that some people can conflate your comedic persona (which is maybe a little arrogant, a little colorful) with your real identity.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
-
Hunter is stubborn, arrogant and gifted enough to play for the Briar hockey team, yet refuses to for reasons the show has yet to reveal.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The case has become one of the most emblematic examples cited by rights organizations accusing Venezuela’s security apparatus of using arbitrary detention, incommunicado imprisonment and forced disappearances against dissidents and suspected opponents.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
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Her work-from-home job requires her to maintain a minimum internet connection of 65 Mbps in downloads, which is subject to arbitrary testing.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
That argument has a quietly urgent edge.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 May 2026
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That mission became increasingly urgent through the Parents' Network, an initiative created to support families whose children have been harmed by social media platforms and to connect them with others going through similar situations.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The show, which featured a sizzling performance by Walton Goggins, as an authoritarian vigilante, was an avant-garde breakthrough for television.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Given the authoritarian nature of the government and its control of the media, the full, brutal extent of these crackdowns are never seen by those inside the country, much less by foreigners.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Are more acute vulnerabilities being exposed by the rise in yields, and will elevated inflation expectations create an undertow to equity valuations?—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
-
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome affects the kidneys and causes a wide range of symptoms, including blurred vision, low blood pressure, acute shock, internal bleeding and kidney failure.—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
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Dick Cable was known for his booming, authoritative voice.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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After two tournaments in autocratic countries (Russia and Qatar), where FIFA could order up stadiums à la carte, the coming 2026 iteration has required the messy work of dealmaking in democratic societies.—
Henry Grabar,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
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Hungary's Péter Magyar took his oath of office on Saturday to become the country's new prime minister, ending Viktor Orbán's 16 years of autocratic rule.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Imperious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperious. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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