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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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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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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4
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
as war casualties mounted, the need for trained nurses became imperious
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of imperious
Julian dispatches Ares and his deputy, Athena (an imperious Jodie Turner-Smith), to the physical world, ordering them to shake down Eve for information about Flynn’s code.
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David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
The adolescent protagonist soon finds himself at the mercy of his imperious uncle, who puts his nephew out on the street for missing a midnight curfew, of which poor Karl was quite unaware.
—Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
There are six pairs of actors playing the two leads (along with several different Raouls and Madame Girys, the latter being our spooky, imperious tour guide through the whole shebang).
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
Behind the imperious trio of Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell and Odyssey Sims, the Indiana Fever fought off the Las Vegas Aces 90-83 to force their WNBA semifinal series to a win-or-go-home Game 5 in Sin City on Tuesday night.
—Frank Nunns O'Connell 11 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for imperious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperious
Adjective
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That premonition rings true when his parents (Tara Buckman, Geoff Hansen) are slaughtered by a carjacker dressed as Old Saint Nick himself (Charles Dierkop) just hours later, condemning the toddler into further moral compass trauma at an orphanage run by a domineering Mother Superior nun from Hell.—
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Orgon’s only ally is his domineering parade float of a mother, Madame Pernelle (the Bianca del Rio), who sails onto the stage in high dudgeon at the top of the play.—
Adjective
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This version of Ryan was arrogant, unable to conceal pride in his accomplishment.—
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So long as that situation continues, the 43-year-old’s allegedly arrogant and stand-offish treatment of his players will not worry the club hierarchy too much.—
Adjective
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The National Police has been repeatedly cited by national and international human rights organizations for excessive use of force, arbitrary detentions, and the mistreatment of protesters and civilians.—
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Critics say those distinctions are arbitrary and unfair, being based on outdated assumptions and bad science.—
Adjective
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And there is another urgent area requiring our attention.—
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The administration’s enthusiasm to improve America’s health has real, urgent promise.—
Adjective
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Seizures of National Park protected land, destruction of our White House, massive banners of his photo draped on the Department of Labor and USDA buildings — please tell me how Trump’s authoritarian actions are any different from Vladimir Putin or Saddam Hussein?—
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Yet the president told The New York Times on Wednesday that US oversight of Venezuela could last for years, following its toppling of the country’s authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro.—
Adjective
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While these changes will impact the country as a whole, the effect here in Indiana could be particularly acute, environmentalists say.—
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On January 5, less than one week after Tatiana died at just 35 years old of acute myeloid leukemia on December 30, Jack honored her with several moving quotes—including one from Tatiana herself.—
Adjective
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Her authoritative reporting and industry knowledge help readers and listeners better understand the space and inform critical business decisions.—
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Rather than advancing a single authoritative narrative, the exhibition creates space for inquiry, encouraging visitors to reflect on how beliefs are formed, how digital systems influence perception, and how imagination reshapes memory and identity.—
Adjective
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Iran's autocratic regime has quashed several previous waves of unrest, violently, and the source in Tehran told CBS News there was significant fear among many people that the current protests would draw a similar draconian crackdown.—
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Javier Corrales, an expert on Venezuelan politics, tells Isaac Chotiner about the autocratic methods that Maduro used to maintain power, and what might happen to the regime in his absence.—
Cite this Entry
“Imperious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperious. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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