imperative
76
5.6
- adjective
- /ɪmˈpɛrətɪv/
- In this emergency, it is imperative that we evacuate everyone quickly.
- imperative to understand
- imperative to ensure
- imperative to provide
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Watch on YouTubeBecause of the enormous danger that they pose, it is imperative to eliminate nuclear weapons.
- Because of the enormous danger that they pose, it is imperative to eliminate nuclear weapons.
- So I think it's imperative that they think of it more as a writing sample of their work.
- I believe that pursuing actionable solutions to extreme wealth inequality is imperative to mending our broken socioeconomic system.
- So I think it, it's imperative for us to learn them and to learn how to optimize them.
- But make no mistake, we are heading for a legal showdown on this issue here in America, and it is imperative that we pay attention and win.
- Which is why it is imperative that yes, be the giver you are.
- So volume to us is imperative.
Examples
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But it's imperative you bring him to the hospital.
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It is imperative that you act now!
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And so it's very, very imperative that you protect yourself by any means.
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Parents, I just have to say it is imperative that you take this very, very seriously.
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Oh, I think now more than ever it is imperative that I be there.
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It's imperative that I talk to her.
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To avoid a crisis within a crisis, it is imperative to provide the entire staff with training.
Academic text (2013) -
However, it's imperative that your crowd remains locked in to your performance.
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It is absolutely imperative that you tell me the truth.
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It is imperative that we recover the sacred animal.
Synonyms
309
2.9
Very important and needing action right away
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
1
9.9
A moral rule that applies to everyone and comes from duty, not personal wants or results
- Specialized
1
7.4
A way of writing programs that tells the computer what to do step by step and how to change values
- Formal
1
9.9
A rule that says to do something only if you want a certain result
- Specialized
1
6.3
A verb that tells someone to do something, like 'Sit' or 'Be quiet'
How Important
Surface Forms
Morphology
imperative = imperate (semi-transparent) = imperate + ive
The adjective historically derives from a verb meaning 'to command' and has extended metaphorically to 'urgent'; the connection exists but is figurative rather than purely compositional.
Etymology
Imperative comes from the Latin imperare, 'to command'. A helpful way to remember the adjective meaning is to think that something imperative 'commands' attention because it is urgent and must be done now.