utterly

utterly — adverb

1. to the greatest degree possible — used before adjectives, adverbs, and past part

1.adverbC1
Definition

to the greatest degree possible — used before adjectives, adverbs, and past participles to show very strong emphasis, especially with words that describe negative situations or extreme qualities

Example

The team's proposal was utterly rejected by the board without any real discussion.

utterly + past participle (rejected) — strong negative outcome

Walid stared at the electricity bill, utterly confused by all the extra charges.

utterly + adjective (confused) — mental state

Common collocations
  • utterly impossible
  • utterly ridiculous
  • utterly convinced
  • utterly devastated
  • utterly useless
  • utterly confused
  • utterly wrong
Synonyms
  • totally

    more common in casual speech; works with both positive and negative words

  • completely

    neutral register; focuses on 'every part' being affected

  • absolutely

    the strongest and most versatile; pairs naturally with positive and negative adjectives

  • entirely

    slightly more formal; leans toward completeness of scope or extent

Antonyms
  • slightly

    opposite in degree — much weaker emphasis

  • partially

    to some extent rather than fully or completely

Grammar Patterns

utterly + adjective

utterly + past participle

utterly + adverb

Usage Note

Typically modifies adjectives, past participles, and some adverbs that express extreme or negative qualities. More emphatic and formal than totally or completely — rarely used with purely positive adjectives (utterly happy sounds unnatural) or with verbs of opinion or agreement (*utterly agree is uncommon).

Common Mistakes

The weather was utterly nice yesterday.
The weather was absolutely / really nice yesterday.
utterly sounds unnatural with mild or positive adjectives; use absolutely or really instead.
I utterly agree with your decision.
I completely agree with your decision.
utterly is not used with verbs of agreement; it typically modifies adjectives and past participles, not main verbs.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four of these intensifiers add emphasis to an adjective or adverb, but they differ in register and typical use. Totally is the most informal and versatile — common in everyday speech ('I totally forgot', 'totally different'). Completely is neutral in tone and focuses on the idea that every part is affected ('completely finished', 'completely wrong'). Absolutely is the strongest of the group and works naturally with both positive and negative words ('absolutely wonderful', 'absolutely dreadful'). Entirely leans toward completeness of scope or extent ('entirely separate', 'entirely your fault'). Utterly is the most formal and dramatic of the five — it strongly prefers negative or extreme contexts ('utterly ridiculous', 'utterly devastated') and sounds unnatural with mild or positive adjectives. For example, you would say 'The plan was utterly absurd' but not 'The meal was utterly tasty.'

totally ↗completely ↗absolutely ↗entirely ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • utterly + adjective (e.g., utterly ridiculous)
  • utterly + past participle (e.g., utterly devastated)
  • utterly + impossible (fixed expression)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Comes from Middle English 'utterly' (meaning 'entirely, to the utmost'), formed from the adjective 'utter' (meaning 'outer, extreme') plus the adverbial suffix '-ly'. The Old English source is 'ūtor' (outer, farther out), the comparative form of 'ūt' (out). The meaning shifted from 'outwardly' → 'to the very end' → 'completely, totally' over the Middle English period.