utterance

utterance — noun

1. a spoken word, phrase, or remark — especially one that communicates what the spe

1.nounB2
Definition

a spoken word, phrase, or remark — especially one that communicates what the speaker thinks or feels in a particular moment

Example

Min's first utterance of the day was a quiet complaint about the cold coffee.

possessive + utterance + of + noun phrase

The politician's careless utterance during the interview sparked a wave of criticism online.

adjective + utterance (careless)

Common collocations
  • first utterance
  • single utterance
  • coherent utterance
  • meaningful utterance
  • every utterance
Synonyms
  • remark

    more everyday; something said in passing

  • statement

    more official or deliberate; often written or prepared

  • comment

    an opinion or reaction regarding something specific

  • expression

    broader — can be verbal or non-verbal

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

utterance + preposition + of + noun phrase

possessive + utterance

adjective + utterance

Usage Note

More formal and academic than everyday words like 'remark' or 'statement'. In linguistics, it refers to any stretch of spoken language — a word, phrase, or sentence — considered in its context.

Common Mistakes

He made a long utterance at the meeting.
He made a long speech at the meeting.
'utterance' is usually a single short spoken unit; for a long formal talk, use 'speech' or 'address.'

2. the act or process of producing spoken language in order to communicate thoughts

2.nounB2
Definition

the act or process of producing spoken language in order to communicate thoughts, ideas, or feelings — the expression in words rather than in writing or gesture

Example

After her stroke, Kuniko spent months in therapy learning to produce a clear utterance.

produce + a[n] + clear utterance (countable)

Hari's utterance of the ancient blessing brought tears to the eyes of the guests.

utterance + of + specific thing (blessing)

Common collocations
  • give utterance to
  • clear utterance
  • public utterance
  • scholarly utterance
Synonyms
  • speech

    broader term; includes the physical ability and the system of spoken language

  • vocalization

    more technical; any sound produced by the voice, not necessarily meaningful

  • expression

    broader — can include writing, art, or gesture

Antonyms
  • silence

    the absence of vocal expression

  • writing

    communication through written symbols rather than speech

Grammar Patterns

utterance + of + noun phrase + in + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used in formal, literary, or academic contexts. The uncountable form (without 'an') focuses on the general activity of speaking; the countable form ('an utterance') focuses on a specific instance. The fixed expression 'give utterance to (+ something)' means 'to express something openly.'

Common Mistakes

She gave utterance to the bus stop.
She gave utterance to her concerns about the bus stop.
'give utterance to' must be followed by an abstract thing being expressed (thoughts, feelings, opinions), not a concrete location.

Word family

  • utter
    verbB2
  • unutterable
    adjectiveC1
  • unutterably
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to something someone says, but they differ in formality, scope, and purpose. 'Utterance' is the most formal and is common in academic writing — especially linguistics — where it means any stretch of spoken language, regardless of length. 'Remark' is more everyday and often refers to a short, offhand comment made in passing ('Tomás made a witty remark about the weather'). 'Statement' suggests an official, deliberate, or prepared communication, often written ('the company issued a statement about the new policy'). 'Comment' expresses an opinion or reaction to something specific ('Élise left a comment on the blog post'). Use 'utterance' when you want a formal, neutral term for a piece of speech; use 'remark' for casual conversations; use 'statement' for official pronouncements; and use 'comment' when responding to something.

utterance ↗remark ↗statement ↗comment ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • give utterance to
  • every utterance

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Middle English 'utteraunce', formed from 'utteren' (to put out, to speak) + the noun suffix '-ance'. The verb 'utter' traces back to Old English 'ūtian' (to put out), from 'ūt' (out). The sense shifted from 'putting something out' to 'putting words out' — that is, speaking. Historically, 'utterance' was also spelled 'outrance' in Anglo-French, meaning 'extremity' (from which we get the phrase 'to the uttermost'), but that meaning is now obsolete. What remains is the speech-related sense, first recorded in the 15th century.