Word
utterly
Phoneticsut·ter·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈətɝɫi/
UK/ˈʌtəli/
Adverb of degree
Definition
adv. completely or totally. You use it to emphasize that something is 100% true, especially when the situation is bad or surprising.
adv. to an absolute or extreme degree; entirely. Often used to intensify adjectives with a negative or absolute quality.
Examples
“The news was utterly shocking to everyone in the room.”
“After walking through the heavy rain for an hour, my clothes were utterly soaked and ruined.”
“The candidate's latest proposal was dismissed as utterly impractical by economists, who argued that the necessary infrastructure simply does not exist in the current market.”
Examples
simple
“The news was utterly shocking to everyone in the room.”
contextual
“After walking through the heavy rain for an hour, my clothes were utterly soaked and ruined.”
complex
“The candidate's latest proposal was dismissed as utterly impractical by economists, who argued that the necessary infrastructure simply does not exist in the current market.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “utterly” in context.
Verb
01. utterly destroy the evidence
“The fire managed to utterly destroy the evidence before the police arrived.”
adv + verb + noun
02. utterly fail to understand
“I utterly fail to understand why the management decided to cancel the project.”
adv + verb + infinitive
03. utterly reject the proposal
“The committee chose to utterly reject the proposal during the final hearing.”
adv + verb + noun
Adjective
04. utterly dependent on foreign aid
“The small island nation remains utterly dependent on foreign aid to sustain its economy.”
adv + adj + prep + noun
05. utterly different
“The two sisters have utterly different personalities despite being twins.”
adv + adj
06. utterly exhausted
“After completing the marathon in record time, she felt utterly exhausted.”
adv + adj
07. utterly ridiculous
“The suggestion that we should work on Sundays for no extra pay is utterly ridiculous.”
adv + adj
Usage
Typically precedes the adjective or verb it modifies; functions as a high-intensity maximizer.
Pitfall
The movie was utterly good.
The movie was utterly fantastic.
Utterly usually collocates with extreme or negative adjectives rather than simple positive ones like 'good'.
Real-World Examples
“She made it clear I was utterly replaceable.” “Strange, as the jihadis and their sponsors are utterly opposed to democracy now or at any other time.” Etymology
From utter + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/utterly