| 1. | It became imperative to lance the flying whale, or be content to lose him. - from Moby Dick; or The Whale by Herman Melville |
| 2. | She said no more, even in answer to the Professor's imperative questioning. - from Dracula by Bram Stoker |
| 3. | There was imperative need to be constantly alert for these dogs and men were not town dogs and men. - from The Call of the Wild by Jack London |
| 4. | "Avanti" said the same sharp and imperative voice. - from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Pere |
| 5. | Two or three times, the matter in hand became so knotty, that the jackal found it imperative on him to get up, and steep his towels anew. - from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens |
| 6. | She had not the faintest comprehension of his meaning, but she was naturally quick-witted, and felt it imperative to "keep her end up" as she phrased it. - from The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie |
| 7. | "You lie," repeated the abbe a third time, with a still more imperative tone. - from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Pere |
| 8. | She appealed to everybody and to everything, finally wiping her eyes and proceeding to cast out even articles of apparel that were imperative necessaries. - from The Call of the Wild by Jack London |
| 9. | But I cannot give him orders in this case I cannot say 'Beware of harming me, Richard' for it is imperative that I should keep him ignorant that harm to me is possible. - from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte |