Imperative
Imperative noun - A statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned.
Usage example: a secretary of defense who was fond of issuing harshly worded imperatives
Law and imperative are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Law" instead a noun "Imperative".
Nearby Words: imperious, imperatively
Law
Law noun - A rule of conduct or action laid down by a governing authority and especially a legislature.
Imperative and law are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Imperative" instead a noun "Law".
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
- Self-preservation is Isaac Asimov's third law of robotics, making it the third-most-important moral imperative for a robot.
Source: I Cannot Self-Terminate -
Second Law My Ass: In another marked difference between Bastion and other Sentinels, he has no imperative to take orders from any human, not even a Trask.
- Fundamentally, Chaos holds free will as an imperative, unlike Law's worldview that people should accept whatever fate they're given, however horrible.
Source: A Lighter Shade of Black
Cite this Source
Law and Imperative. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/imperative/law
Imperative & Law. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/imperative/law>.
Law or Imperative. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/imperative/law.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "imperative" and "law" have occurred on timeline