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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

imperious

Adjective

IPA /ɪmˈpɪəriəs/

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Meaning in plain English

Behaving as if others must obey you without question.

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Pronunciation

imperious/ɪmˈpɪəriəs/

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  1. A person gives commands arrogantly

  2. Everyone is expected to obey

An imperious manner demands obedience and leaves little room for questions.

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  1. She summoned the waiter with an imperious wave.
  2. The manager's imperious tone discouraged questions from the team.

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imperious — Behaving as if others must obey you without question.

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Behaving as if others must obey you without question.

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Word origin

From Latin imperiosus, related to imperium, meaning command or authority.

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Imperious tone, manner and gesture describe demanding behaviour.

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imperious

/ɪmˈpɪəriəs/ (Adjective)

“Formal and usually disapproving: imperious suggests arrogance, rather than simply confident leadership.”

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