# utterly

/ˈətɝɫi/ (US) · /ˈʌtəli/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/utterly
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

completely or totally. You use it to emphasize that something is 100% true, especially when the situation is bad or surprising.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The movie was utterly good." but "The movie was utterly fantastic." — Utterly usually collocates with extreme or negative adjectives rather than simple positive ones like 'good'.

## Usage notes

- Typically precedes the adjective or verb it modifies; functions as a high-intensity maximizer.

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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.