it imperative to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'it imperative to understand' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize that something is extremely important, or needs to be taken seriously. For example: "It is imperative to understand the risks involved with this investment before committing to it."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

In this context, the identification of Prod1 as an important molecular component in urodele limb regeneration renders it imperative to understand its molecular phylogeny, and in particular to establish whether there are functional orthologs for Prod1 within other phylogenetic groups.

Plosone

This makes it imperative to understand their mechanisms of action and consequently design effective RNA-based strategies in the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy of cancer.

Cancer and Noncoding RNAs

This makes it imperative to understand the effect of dams on ecosystems and people and apply best practice to limit the damage done to the river.

The Guardian

"We consider it imperative to understand what it is about high-volume institutions that leads to their providing higher quality of care, so that we can ultimately improve the quality of care at all institutions".

The New York Times

A broad range of molecular phenotypes are possible depending on the type and severity of the mutation, making it imperative to understand the consequences of splicing mutations.

F1000Research

Severe ecological and economic impacts caused by some invasive species make it imperative to understand the attributes that permit them to spread.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

To understand the subject of terrorism, it is imperative to understand what it is about.

Asian Journal of German and European Studies

In order to appreciate the role of privacy data preservation, it is imperative to understand how it fits into the overall architecture of a privacy protected video surveillance system.

EURASIP Journal on Information Security

Because of its ubiquitous nature, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms underlying formaldehyde-induced toxicity and carcinogenicity.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Thus, if brain aging causes low-level chronic inflammation it is imperative to understand the reasons for it.

Acta neuropathologica communications

If NB is a tumour partially derived from a failure to undergo the appropriate developmental programme of differentiation, it becomes imperative to understand what that developmental programme is, and where it becomes arrested or disrupted in NB.

DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it is imperative to understand" to introduce crucial information or actions, lending weight to your statement and signaling its importance to the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "it is imperative to understand" in casual conversation or informal writing. It can sound overly formal or pretentious in settings where a simpler expression would suffice.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it is imperative to understand" functions as an introductory phrase to emphasize the critical importance of comprehending a particular subject or situation. As confirmed by Ludwig, it highlights the necessity of gaining insight.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

18%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it is imperative to understand" serves to highlight the critical importance of grasping a concept or situation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and effective in emphasizing the necessity of comprehension. While commonly found in scientific and news contexts, it's best reserved for formal writing to avoid sounding pretentious in casual settings. Consider alternative phrases like "it's crucial to grasp" or "understanding this is vital" to vary your language while maintaining a similar level of emphasis. Remember that this phrase should be used when the lack of understanding could lead to serious consequences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it's crucial to grasp

Replaces "imperative" with "crucial" and "understand" with "grasp", emphasizing the importance of comprehension.

it's essential to comprehend

Substitutes "imperative" with "essential" and "understand" with "comprehend", highlighting the fundamental need for understanding.

understanding this is vital

Rearranges the sentence to emphasize the importance of the understanding itself, using "vital".

it is critical to realize

Replaces "imperative" with "critical" and "understand" with "realize", focusing on the importance of becoming aware.

it's important to recognize

Uses "important" instead of "imperative" and "recognize" instead of "understand", softening the tone slightly while maintaining a similar meaning.

a thorough understanding is necessary

Shifts the focus to the "understanding" itself, emphasizing its necessity.

gaining insight is paramount

Replaces the entire phrase with a focus on "gaining insight", emphasizing its supreme importance.

knowledge of this is crucial

Highlights the "knowledge" aspect and its "crucial" nature.

one must understand

Uses a more formal tone, focusing on the obligation to understand.

this demands comprehension

Emphasizes the need for "comprehension" as a requirement.

FAQs

What does "it is imperative to understand" mean?

The phrase "it is imperative to understand" means that something is extremely important or crucial to know or comprehend. It indicates that a lack of understanding could lead to negative consequences.

How can I use "it is imperative to understand" in a sentence?

Use "it is imperative to understand" to emphasize the necessity of grasping a concept or situation. For example, "It is imperative to understand the risks before investing."

What can I say instead of "it is imperative to understand"?

You can use alternatives like "it's crucial to grasp", "it's essential to comprehend", or "understanding this is vital" depending on the context.

Is "it is important to understand" the same as "it is imperative to understand"?

While both phrases convey the need for understanding, "it is imperative to understand" carries a stronger sense of urgency and necessity than "it is important to understand". Imperative suggests a critical requirement.