# utter

/ˈətɝ/ (US) · /ˈʌtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/utter
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. complete or total

adjective · CEFR B2

used to emphasize that something is complete or total, usually something bad.

For teachers: used as an intensifier to indicate that a quality or state is complete, absolute, or extreme.

- The whole situation was an utter disaster from start to finish.
- To the board's utter astonishment, the CEO resigned without providing any justification or naming a successor.

### 2. to speak or make a sound

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to say something or to make a sound with your voice.

For teachers: to produce a sound or word with the vocal organs; to give audible expression to something.

- She sat there in shock and did not utter a single word.
- The witness refused to utter a sound during the cross-examination, despite the prosecutor's increasingly aggressive questioning.

Usage: This verb is transitive and requires a direct object, such as a word, a cry, or a sound.

### 3. to pass forged documents

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

to use or give someone a fake document or fake money as if it were real.

For teachers: to put into circulation a forged document, banknote, or security with the intent to defraud.

- He was charged with trying to utter a counterfeit hundred-dollar bill.
- The defendant was indicted on two counts of forgery and one count of attempting to utter a fraudulent cheque at the local branch.

Usage: Often appears in the legal phrase 'uttering a forged instrument'.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly specialized; students will likely only encounter it in legal reports or crime fiction.

## Examples

- She did not utter a single word during the entire meeting.
- The witness was so nervous that he could barely utter a coherent sentence when questioned by the lawyer.
- In the silence of the cathedral, the priest began to utter a low prayer that echoed softly against the ancient stone walls.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.