IMPERATIVES Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

imperatives

noun

plural of imperative

as in instructions

a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned a secretary of defense who was fond of issuing harshly worded imperatives

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in obligations

something one must do because of prior agreement although he had little taste for the social imperatives that come with being governor, he put on a brave face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of imperatives Rarely do Washington’s strategic imperatives and humanitarian principles align so neatly. — Anna Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026 Bringing the P&Ls together under single owners will reduce overlap, clarify accountability, and allow GMs to allocate capital more efficiently and effectively based on their strategic imperatives. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 Sep. 2026 Reinforce the importance of Corporate Taste and Capability as organizational imperatives to continue to maintain. — Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The writers also cited Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets, arguing that Fox’s independent creative voice has essentially been subsumed by Disney’s corporate imperatives. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 22 July 2026 Further, state leaders realize that the nation’s economic imperatives and our broader aspirations for education are two sides of the same coin. — Tim Knowles, Fortune, 8 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperatives

Noun

Three days before the test, a hospital administrator from Southampton Hospital called to confirm the appointment and review the preparation instructions.

— Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Instead, the test showed how a human could direct a semi-autonomous platform while its software handled the details of executing instructions.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of instructions

Noun

The new rules would not restrict banks' ability to count housing tax credit investments toward their Community Reinvestment Act obligations, an administration official said.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Anthropic doesn’t share much financial information with lenders and the exact level of its obligations struck some investors as unsettled.

— Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of obligations

Noun

The film by and large follows the edicts of Iranian neorealism, with unobtrusive observations and a naturalistic soundscape.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Many believe Beijing perceived Tung as a loyalist who would obey the Communist leadership’s edicts.

— Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of edicts

Noun

At Moontrail, creative direction, storytelling, emotional decisions and artistic judgment remain purely human responsibilities.

— Kevin Giraud, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Technical capabilities are evolving quickly, but so are the human skills needed to work effectively alongside AI, adapt to changing workflows and take on new responsibilities.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of responsibilities

Noun

Wednesday’s filing marks the latest escalation in the legal fight over conditions at the facility and the government’s lack of compliance with the court’s directives.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Individual campuses in the CSU and UC can create their own policies in addition to systemwide directives.

— Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of directives

Noun

While many nations were already moving towards taking over their maternal and child health needs, lead times for orders can be a year or more, five former USAID officials said.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment prohibit deliberate indifference to prisoners’ medical needs.

— Jaquelyn Jahn, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of needs

Noun

In the ensuing political turmoil, health workers went on strike, vaccine orders were delayed and follow-up vaccinations that usually accompany routine programs were disrupted.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Already, over Catholicism’s roughly 2,000-year history, women have become saints who founded missions and religious orders.

— Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of orders

Noun

The service previously operated the EC-130Q for TACAMO duties from 1963 through 1993, according to Lockheed Martin.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Rome — Pope Leo XIV left hospital Saturday, four days after undergoing lung cancer surgery in a swift return to his duties following the first health scare of his papacy.

— Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of duties

Browse Nearby Words

imperative

imperatives

imperceptible

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Imperatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperatives. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of imperatives

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes