imperative

/əmˈpɛrədɪv/

/ɪmˈpɛrətɪv/

Other forms: imperatives

When something absolutely has to be done and cannot be put off, use the adjective imperative.

Imperative is from Latin imperare, "to command," and its original use was for a verb form expressing a command: "Do it!" is an imperative sentence. The word is still used that way, but it's more commonly applied to something so pressing it cannot be put off: "It's imperative that we hire more workers if we want to complete the job on time." Imperative has more immediate force than pressing but less than urgent.

Definitions of imperative

1. adjective

   requiring attention or action
   “as nuclear weapons proliferate, preventing war becomes imperative”

   “requests that grew more and more imperative”

   synonyms:

   assertive, self-asserting, self-assertive

   aggressively self-assured

   adjuratory

   containing a solemn charge or command

   clamant, crying, exigent, insistent, instant

   demanding attention

   peremptory

   not allowing contradiction or refusal

   desperate

   showing extreme urgency or intensity especially because of great need or desire

   pressing, urgent

   compelling immediate action

   shrill, strident

   being sharply insistent on being heard

   antonyms:

   beseeching

   begging

   adjuratory

   earnestly or solemnly entreating

   importunate

   expressing earnest entreaty

   mendicant

   practicing beggary

   petitionary

   of the nature of or expressing a petition

   precative, precatory

   expressing entreaty or supplication

   suppliant, supplicant, supplicatory

   humbly entreating
2. noun

   some duty that is essential and urgent
   type of:

   duty, obligation, responsibility

   the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
3. noun

   a mood that expresses an intention to influence the listener's behavior
   synonyms: imperative form, imperative mood, jussive mood

   type of:

   modality, mode, mood

   verb inflections that express how the action or state is conceived by the speaker
4. adjective

   relating to verbs in the imperative mood