utter

utter — verb

1. to produce words or sounds with your voice, often in speech or as a reaction to

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to produce words or sounds with your voice, often in speech or as a reaction to a situation — for example, uttering a cry of surprise, a single word in court, or a prayer during a ceremony.

Example

Haruto was so shocked that he could not utter a single word for several minutes.

negative construction: could not utter + noun

Without looking up from her book, Élise uttered a soft 'good night' to the room.

collocation: utter + direct speech

Common collocations
  • utter + word
  • utter + cry
  • utter + groan
  • utter + prayer
  • utter + name
  • utter + sound
Synonyms
  • say

    the most common, neutral alternative; utter is more formal

  • speak

    broader in meaning, can be used without an object; utter typically takes an object

  • vocalize

    more technical, especially for non-speech sounds like groans

  • voice

    to express a specific feeling, opinion, or concern; narrower than utter

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

utter + noun phrase (word, cry, groan, prayer, name)

utter + direct speech

Usage Note

Frequently used with a direct object that names what is said or the sound made. In everyday conversation, say, speak, or shout is more common than utter, which sounds slightly formal or literary.

Common Mistakes

She uttered to him about the problem.
She said something to him about the problem.
utter is transitive and requires a direct object (utter a word, utter a cry); it cannot take a prepositional complement.

2. to officially release banknotes, coins, or a financial document for public use —

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to officially release banknotes, coins, or a financial document for public use — a formal term used in banking and law.

Example

The Bank of England has the sole right to utter banknotes in England and Wales.

formal/legal: utter banknotes

Authorities arrested the accountant for uttering forged cheques worth over two million dollars.

legal context: utter forged cheques

Common collocations
  • utter + banknote
  • utter + cheque
  • utter + currency
  • utter + money
Synonyms
  • issue

    the common modern term; utter is now rare and formal

  • circulate

    broader — can describe money already in public use; utter refers to the act of first releasing it

Grammar Patterns

utter + banknote / cheque / currency

Usage Note

Now rare in everyday English; found mainly in legal, financial, and historical writing. The object is always a financial instrument — banknote, cheque, or currency — never a general document or announcement.

Common Mistakes

The bank uttered a new policy.
The bank issued a new policy.
utter in this sense applies only to currency and negotiable instruments, not to general documents or announcements.

utter — adjective

Word family

  • utterance
    nounB2
  • utterer
    nounC1
  • unutterable
    adjectiveC1
  • unutterably
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Utter, absolute, complete, and total all intensify a noun to the highest degree, but they differ in nuance and typical noun partners. Utter carries strong emotional force and is most common with negative nouns (utter nonsense, utter chaos, utter disaster). Absolute is the strongest of the group, suggesting no limits or exceptions — absolute power, absolute certainty. Total often has a numerical or all-encompassing feel — total darkness, total strangers. Complete emphasizes that nothing is missing — complete failure, complete set. In many contexts they are interchangeable (utter/absolute/complete/total silence), but utter has a distinctly emotional, almost dramatic tone that makes it less suitable for neutral or technical writing.

utter ↗absolute ↗complete ↗total ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • hardly utter
  • barely utter
  • never utter
  • rarely utter

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The adjective utter comes from Old English ūtera, meaning 'outer' or 'external.' Its meaning shifted from 'situated on the outside' to 'extreme' and finally to 'complete or absolute' — as if something had reached the farthest limit. The verb utter has a related origin, from Middle English uteren, meaning 'to put out, reveal, or speak,' which grew out of the same Old English root. Both words trace back to the Proto-Germanic idea of 'out' or 'outside.'