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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word imperious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of imperious are domineering, imperative, masterful, and peremptory. While all these words mean "tending to impose one's will on others," imperious implies a commanding nature or manner and often suggests arrogant assurance.

an imperious executive used to getting his own way

When would domineering be a good substitute for imperious?

The synonyms domineering and imperious are sometimes interchangeable, but domineering suggests an overbearing or arbitrary manner and an obstinate determination to enforce one's will.

children controlled by domineering parents

When could imperative be used to replace imperious?

While the synonyms imperative and imperious are close in meaning, imperative implies peremptoriness arising more from the urgency of the situation than from an inherent will to dominate.

an imperative appeal for assistance

In what contexts can masterful take the place of imperious?

The words masterful and imperious can be used in similar contexts, but masterful implies a strong personality and ability to act authoritatively.

her masterful personality soon dominated the movement

When is it sensible to use peremptory instead of imperious?

The words peremptory and imperious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, peremptory implies an abrupt dictatorial manner coupled with an unwillingness to brook disobedience or dissent.

given a peremptory dismissal

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 imperious Image Image Rival politicians were quick to call him a traitor and there is a contingent of Greenlandic politicians who are wary of Mr. Trump, seeing him as imperious and unpredictable. Jeffrey Gettleman, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 Llewellyn’s starting point for the makeup design was initial illustrations by Phillips and Reed’s color choices in order to do something with the makeup that drew more focus to Yeoh’s imperious performance, but always in complementary colors. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 31 Jan. 2025 Slot’s team drew at Nottingham Forest and, on the weekend, 90 goalless minutes had passed at Brentford with a feeling that the imperious phase was finally at an end. Darren Richman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025 Within this, there are other curiosities: Brentford finding a formula to net in the first minute of three consecutive games; Arsenal, long associated with artful offensive patterns, becoming imperious from corner kicks; Forest’s robust Chris Wood emerging as a bountiful goalscorer at the age of 33. Henry Flynn, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for imperious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imperious
Adjective
  • In this way, democratic parenting is markedly different from both permissive parenting and authoritarian parenting.
    Miranda Rake, Parents, 14 Mar. 2025
  • They are also seen as sharing a joint interest in diminishing the role of the U.S. and other liberal democracies in determining world events in favor of their own highly authoritarian systems.
    Christopher Bodeen, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • So this kind of parallel can easily be drawn between Iran and other countries, [including those with] an arrogant isolation program, definitely.
    Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025
  • One of the targets of his reign of terror is arrogant Judge Stefan Mortensen, played by Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush admitted to the facility after being left partially paralyzed after a stroke.
    Simon Thompson, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The user is urged to visit a website and pay an arbitrary toll amount to avoid a $50 fine.
    Dan Avery, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2025
  • His morning rants and arbitrary policies only harm the economy.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The National Transportation Safety Board says there are urgent safety concerns in the airspace around Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C.
    Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Street Smart aims to spark empathy and inspire action in addressing the urgent challenges faced by unhoused youth—particularly those navigating mental health struggles, CPTSD, and LGBTQ discrimination.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Since then, he’s portrayed a colorful collection of characters, from a domineering theater owner in Shakespeare in Love to Pirates of the Caribbean’s villain turned hero, Captain Hector Barbossa.
    airmail.news, airmail.news, 8 Mar. 2025
  • All the while, his domineering mother Bunny (played by the late Frances Sternhagen) is determined to stay the number one woman in her son's life.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The imbalance between the scarce supply of AI talent and the acute demand for it at Big Tech companies and startups alike, poses a looming predicament for the fast-growing AI industry.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Arsenal and Arteta’s long-term admiration remains and their need for a centre-forward is acute.
    Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Content Creation and Thought Leadership In an attention economy where organic visibility grows increasingly scarce, content strategists who craft compelling, authoritative material have become revenue drivers rather than cost centers.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • While some authoritative voices speak with optimism, others do not share the same tone.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Furthermore, although Washington has conceived of its autocratic adversaries as a cohesive unit, almost all their cooperation has been through bilateral channels.
    Christopher S. Chivvis, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Ukraine may not be a beacon of democracy, but today's Russian government is the definition of an autocratic regime.
    Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Imperious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imperious. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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