Word.ws English Dictionary

utter

Syllables: ut·terUK/ˈʌtə//ˈʌtəɹ/

utter adjective: to the furthest or most extreme extent; absolute, complete, total, unconditional.

Adjective

utter (comparative (obsolete) uttermore, superlative utmost or uttermost)

  1. To the furthest or most extreme extent; absolute, complete, total, unconditional.
    • utter bliss utter darkness utter ruin
    • Oh VVarvvicke, VVarvvicke, I foreſee vvith greefe / The vtter loſſe of all the Realme of France.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
  2. (rare) Of a substance: pure, unmixed.
    • Two cups of utter silver wrought and rough with imagery / I give you, which my father took from wracked Arisbe's hold; […]1876, Virgil, “Book IX”, in William Morris, transl., The Æneids of Virgil: Done into English Verse, London: Ellis and White, […], →OCLC, page 254, lines 262–263
  3. Of decisions, replies, etc.: made in an unconditional or unqualified manner; decisive, definite.
    • There could not then be any other eſtimate made of the loſs VValler ſuſtain'd, than by the not purſuing the viſible advantage he had, and by the utter refuſal of the Auxiliary Regiments of London and Kent, to march farther; […]1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, book VIII, in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], volume II, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the...
  4. (obsolete, poetic, except literary) Further out than another thing; being the exterior or outer part of something; outer, outward; also, extremely remote.
    • at the utter extremities of
    • Wo be to you ſcrybꝭ [scrybis]⸝ ãd phariſes ypocritꝭ [ypocritis]⸝ for ye make clene the vtter ſide off the cuppe⸝ and off the platter: but with in they are full of brybery and exceſſe.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Matthew xxiij:[25], folio xxxiij, recto
    Antonyms:
    inner
  5. (obsolete, rare) Preceding all others; original.
    • And although it [Persia] has ſince then been ruined and reigned ouer by Princes of many Nations, yet they haue neuer altered the Dialect from its vtter ſence, at this day being cald Pharſee: […]1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “A Discourse of the Life and Habit of the Persians at this Present”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […]...
  6. (obsolete, rare) Succeeding all others; final, last, ultimate.
    • Our vtter houre is come alas, fell deſtinies death hath brought.1555 July (date written; Gregorian calendar), Virgil, “The Seconde Booke”, in Thomas Phaer, transl., The Seuen First Bookes of the Eneidos of Virgill, Conuerted in Englishe Meter […], London: […]...

Noun

the utter (uncountable)

  1. (rare) The thing which is most utter (adjective sense) or extreme.
    • I take my leave, readie to countervaile all your courtesies to the utter of my power.1584 August 4 (date written; Gregorian calendar), John Aubrey, quoting Walter Raleigh, “Sir Walter Raleigh (1552–1618)”, in Andrew Clark, editor, ‘Brief Lives,’ Chiefly of Contemporaries, […], volume...

Verb

utter (third-person singular simple present utters, present participle uttering, simple past and past participle uttered)

  1. (transitive) Sometimes preceded by forth, out, etc.: to produce (a cry, speech, or other sounds) with the voice.
    • Don’t you utter another word!
    • I utter my langage or my voyce Ie profere, prime cõiuga. After your audyence utter your langage: Selon voſtre audiẽce profere; voſtre langaige.1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Verbes”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan...
  2. (transitive) To verbally express or report (a desire or emotion, an idea or thought, etc.).
    • Theeſe woords, vplifting both his hands, he to Iuppiter vttred.1582, Virgil, “The Fourth Booke of Virgil His Aeneis”, in Richard Stanyhurst, transl., The First Foure Bookes of Virgils Æneis, […], London: […] Henrie Bynneman […], published 1583, →OCLC...
    • VVhom ſhe all careleſſe of his griefe conſtrayned / to vtter forth th' anguiſh of his hart: […]1595, Edmunde Spenser [i.e., Edmund Spenser], “[Amoretti.] Sonnet XLVIII”, in Amoretti and Epithalamion. […], London: […] [Peter Short] for William Ponsonby, →OCLC, signature D, verso
    Synonyms:
    declare, say, tell
  3. (reflexive, transitive) To express (oneself) in speech or writing.
    • [N]ovv and then nature is a fault, and this good gueſt of ours takes ſoyle in an unperfect body, and ſo is ſlackned from ſhevving her vvonders, like an excellent Muſician vvhich cannot utter himſelf upon a defective inſtrument.a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “An Essay on Death, […]”, in The Remaines of the Right Honorable Francis Lord Verulam […], London: […] B. Alsop, for Lawrence Chapman, […], published 1648...
    • [A]t present several of our men of the town, and particularly those who have been polished in France, make use of the most coarse uncivilized words in our language, and utter themselves often in such a manner as a clown would blush to hear.1711 July 27 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “MONDAY, July 17, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 119; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II...
  4. (figuratively, transitive) Of a thing: to produce (a noise or sound); to emit.
    • Sally’s car uttered a hideous shriek when she applied the brakes.
    Synonyms:
    let out
  5. (obsolete, transitive) To disclose or reveal (something secret or unknown); to bring to light.
    • He that vttereth my counſayle ones I wyll neuer truſte hym whyle I lyue: […]1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “The Table of Verbes”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan...
    • Silanus the Sooth-ſayer, vvho had vttered Xenophons purpoſe, vvas hereby ſtaied from out-running his fellovves, and driuen to abide vvith his vvealth among poore men, longer than ſtood vvith his good liking.1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh], “Of the Expedition of Cyrus the Yonger”, in The Historie of the World […], London: […] William Stansby for Walter Burre, […], →OCLC, 3rd book, §. XIII (Of...
  6. (also, obsolete, reflexive, transitive) To disclose or reveal the identity or nature of (oneself or someone, or something).
    • [W]hẽ the vnclene ſpritꝭ ſawe him⸝ they fell doune before him⸝ and cryed ſayinge: thou arte the ſonne of God: And he ſtreyghtly charged thẽ that they ſhulde not vtter him.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Mark iij:[12], folio xlvij, recto
    • And Joſeph coude no longer refrayne before all them that ſtode about him⸝ but commaunded that they ſhuld goo all out from him⸝ and that there ſhuld be no man with him, whyle he vttred him ſelfe [i.e., disclosed his true identity] vnto his brethern.1530 January 27 (Gregorian calendar), W[illiam] T[yndale], transl., [The Pentateuch] (Tyndale Bible), Malborow [Marburg], Hesse: […] Hans Luft [actually Antwerp: Johan Hoochstraten], →OCLC, Genesis...
  7. (also, obsolete, reflexive, transitive) To display or show (itself or something).
    • [H]e [Jesus] ſhewed and vſed hymſelfe the moſte loweſt and meaneſte of al creatures, yet dyd he hyde within hym a ſecrete power of the nature of the godhed, which thã [than (i.e., then)] ⁊ neuer afore vttred it ſelfe, whan the grayne of his bodye was bruiſed on the croſſe: ⁊ was in deathe (as it...1549 February 10 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1548), Erasmus, “The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Ghospell of S. Luke. The .xvii. Chapter.”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas Udall], transl., The...
    • […] Iuno, the Princeſſe, / Theare the pate, in digging, of an horſe intractabil vttred.1582, Virgil, “The Firste Booke of Virgil His Aeneis”, in Richard Stanyhurst, transl., The First Foure Bookes of Virgils Æneis, […], London: […] Henrie Bynneman […], published 1583, →OCLC...
  8. (intransitive) To speak.
    • The Souereyne and vnutterable God, is the Originall of all things; next vnto vvhom is his Prouidence as a ſecond God, vvho giueth the lavv aſvvell for the temporall as for the eternall life. And furthermore, there is a third ſubſtance as a ſecond Vnderſtanding, vvhich is the keeper of the ſayd...1587, Philip of Mornay [i.e., Philippe de Mornay], “That the Philosophie of Old Tyme Consenteth to this Doctrine of the Trinitie”, in Philip Sidney, Arthur Golding, transl., A Woorke Concerning the...
    • Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conſcience, above all liberties.1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 35
  9. (intransitive) Of words, etc.: to be spoken.
    • [Y]ea many gods, / Had voices more than all the winds, with power / To exhilarate the spirit, and to soothe, / Through every clime, the heart of human kind. / While this was uttering, strange as it may seem, / I wondered not, although I plainly saw / The one to be a stone, the other a shell; […]1799–1805 (date written), William Wordsworth, “Book V. Books.”, in The Prelude, or Growth of a Poet’s Mind; an Autobiographical Poem, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 111
  10. (archaic, rare, transitive) To publish (something).
    • [Y]ᵉ same [the book] was well vtteryd by yᵉ printar, & well lyked of in yᵉ comon weale, […]a. 1606 (date written), John Stow, “Introduction [Appendix to Introduction: How Stow Began to Write History, and Quarrelled with Richard Grafton]”, in A Survey of London: Reprinted from the Text of...
  11. (transitive) To put (currency or other valuable items) into circulation; specifically, to pass off (counterfeit currency, etc.) as legal tender; to use (a forged cheque) as if genuine.
    • […] Her Maiestie now vnderstandynge, that there are sithens that tyme certayne other forrayne peeces of golde, of the like quantitie and fashion (although of lesse value) lyke to an Englyshe Angell, brought hyther, and here vttered and payde for ten shyllynges of syluer, beyng for they lacke of...1564 June 17 (Gregorian calendar), By the Quene [Elizabeth I]. Where as the Quenes Maiestie, by Her Proclamation Published in Nouember, the Thirde Yere of Her Maiesties Raigne, Touching the Valuation...
    • […] Memory, which laying by, preſeruing and imprinting in it ſelfe al the Images and formes of viſible & intelligible things, could not vtter them in time conuenient and diſpoſe them to the tongue and penne, vnleſſe it had ſo ordered, and oftentimes recounted them, […]1588, Torquato Tasso, translated by T[homas] K[yd], The Housholders Philosophie. Wherein is Perfectly and Profitably Described, the True Oeconomia and Forme of Housekeeping. […], London: […] J[ohn]...
    Synonyms:
    circulate
  12. (figuratively, transitive) To pass off (something fake) as a genuine item.
    • Centaure, hovv our iudgements vvere impos'd on by theſe adulterate knights! / Cen[taure]. Nay, madame, Mavis vvas more deceiu'd then vve, 'tvvas her commendation vtter'd 'hem in the colledge.1609 December (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Epicoene, or The Silent Woman. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby...
    • [T]he great bards / Of Greece, of Rome, and mine own master land, / […] / Men who have forged gods—uttered—made them pass: […]1839, [Philip James Bailey], “Scene—Another and a Better World”, in Festus: A Poem, London: William Pickering, →OCLC, page 145
    Synonyms:
    circulate
Show 6 more meaningsShow fewer meanings
  1. (obsolete, transitive) To supply (something); to furnish, to provide.
    • [T]he mixt earth, vvhich vtters VVhinns, Briars, and a vvorld of ſuch like vnnatural and baſtardly Iſſues.1625, Gervase Markham, “The Nature of Grounds in Generall: But Particularly of the Barren and Sterile Earth”, in Markhams Farwell to Husbandry or, The Inriching of All Sorts of Barren and Sterile...
  2. (obsolete, transitive) To offer (something, such as goods) for barter or sale; also, to sell (something); to vend.
    • […] certayne Merchants […] obteyned licence ſafely to arriue here in Ireland with their wares, and to vtter the ſame.1577, Raphaell Holinshed; Richarde Stanyhurst [i.e., Richard Stanihurst], “The Historie of Irelande […]”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I...
    • Such mortall drugs I haue, but Mantuas lavve / Is death to any he that vtters them.c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], […] Romeo and Iuliet. […] (Second Quarto), London: […] Thomas Creede, for Cuthbert Burby, […], published 1599, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], signature...
  3. (obsolete, rare, transitive) To announce that (something) is available for sale; to cry.
    • [Y]ou are […] compelled, during the whole morning, to undergo that savage jargon of yells, brays, and screams, familiarly, but feebly, termed, "the Cries of London"— […] your utter incapability of ever arriving at the slightest smattering in any of the infernal dialects in which their goods are...1806, [James Beresford], “Dialogue the Fourth. Miseries of London.”, in The Miseries of Human Life; or The Groans of Timothy Testy, and Samuel Sensitive. […], London: […] [F]or William Miller, […]...
  4. (obsolete, rare, transitive) To distribute or issue (something) from, or as if from, a stock of items.
    • He had alſo ſet a prieſt of his and a ſeculer ſeruaunt of his beſyde to by [buy] many of the ſame ſuyte [of books], & double and treble of one ſorte, whiche were by thẽ [them] vttred to diuers yonge ſcholers ſuch as thei founde properly witted, feately lerned, and newfangly mynded.1528, Thomas More, “A Dialogue Concernynge Heresyes & Matters of Religion […]. Chapter IIII.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London...
  5. (dialectal, transitive, obsolete except UK) To discharge or send out (something); to eject, to emit.
    • God proſper you, to the uttering all hollovv Harts of England.1536 December 22 (date written; Gregorian calendar), John Strype, quoting Hugh Latimer, “A Visitation of the Religious Houses. […]”, in Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and the...
    • As fier being encloſed in a ſtraite place, wil by force vtter his flãme, […] ſo thys cãcard crocodrile, ⁊ ſubtile ſerpent, could not lõg lurke in malicious hartes, nor venemous ſtomackes, but in cõcluſion ſhe muſt (according to her nature) apere ⁊ ſhew her ſelf.a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Troubleous Season of Kyng Henry the Sixt.] The .XXXVII. Yere.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke...
  6. (intransitive, obsolete) Of goods: to be purchased; to sell.
    • This crockery is popular and utters well.

Adverb

utter (not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) Further apart, away, or out; outside, without.
    • A strawe, sayde Bele, stande vtter, / For we haue egges and butter, / And of pygeons a payre.c. 1517 (date written; published c. 1545), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth the Booke Called Elynour Rummynge. The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng per Skelton Laureat.”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The...
    • Gyue this gentylman rome, syrs, stonde vtter!a. 1530 (date written), John Skelton, “Magnyfycence, a Goodly Interlude and a Mery, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […]...
  2. (obsolete) To an extreme extent; altogether, quite.
    • I knovv they vvill deny me gracious Madame, / Being a ſtranger, and ſo little fam'd / So vtter emptie of theſe excellencies / That tame authority; […]1612 January 5 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Francis Beaumont, Iohn Fletcher, A King and No King. […], London: […] [John Beale] for Thomas Walkley, […], published 1619, →OCLC, Act IV, page...

Proper noun capitalized: Utter

Utter (plural Utters)

  1. A surname.

utter meaning in Tamil, Urdu, Bengali and Telugu

utter in Tamil

கழறு, கூறு, சொல், முற்றிலுமான, முழுமையான

utter in Urdu

کلی, مکمل, مطلقاً, نرا, قطعی, سراسر

utter in Bengali

utter
গালা gala

utter in Telugu

to utter, move one's mouth
నోఱాడు nōṟāḍu
More languagesFewer languages
utter in Malayalam
ഉച്ചരിക്കുക, പ്രചാരണം നടത്തുക, പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കുക
utter in Kannada
ಉಸಿರು usiru
utter in Odia
ଉଚ୍ଚାରିବା uccāribā
utter in Sanskrit
खणखणाय khaṇakhaṇāya, खणखणायते khaṇakhaṇāyate, विसर्जयति visarjayati, विसृज् visṛj
utter in Sinhala
පවසනවා pawasanawā
utter in Assamese
মাত mat
utter in Arabic
نَطَقَ بِ naṭaqa bi-
utter in Persian
گفتن goftan
utter in Myanmar
မြွက် mrwak

Examples of utter in a sentence

  • And ſhould Gods eare, / VVhich needs not man, be ty'd to thoſe / VVho heare not him, but quickly heare / His utter foes?[1633], George Herbert, “The Method”, in [Nicholas Ferrar], editor, The Temple. Sacred Poems, and Private Ejaculations, Cambridge...
  • That vvhich I vvould novv infer from hence is, the utter impoſſibility of the Greeks giving us any certain account of ancient times, […]1662, Edward Stillingfleet, “The Obscurity and Defect of Ancient History”, in Origines Sacræ, or A Rational Account of the Grounds of...
  • [T]he void profound / Of uneſſential Night receives him next / VVide gaping, and vvith utter loſs of being / Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert...
  • Gentlemen, ye be utter ſtrangers to me, I knovv you not, be content to follovv the Religion of your Countrey, and I vvill follovv the Religion of mine.1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page...

All 40 example sentences with utter

Synonyms of utter

30 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

All synonyms and antonyms of utter

Forms of utter

Adjective
superlativeutmost
superlativeuttermost
comparative (obsolete)uttermore
Verb
third-person singular presentutters
present participleuttering
past participleuttered
pastuttered
second-person singular present (archaic)utterest
second-person singular past (archaic)utteredst
third-person singular present (archaic)uttereth
Proper noun
pluralUtters

Past tense of utter: uttered

Origin of utter

PIE word *úd The adjective is derived from Middle English outre, utter, uttre (“situated on the outside of, exterior”), from Old English ūtera (“exterior, outer”, literally “more out”), the comparative form of ūt (“out”). Piecewise doublet of outer. The noun is derived from the adjective.

PIE word *úd From Middle English outren, utteren (“to display for sale; to market; to sell; to say, speak; to put into words, express, tell; to make known, reveal”), partly: * from outre, utter (adjective, adverb) (see etymology 1 and etymology 3) + -en (suffix forming the infinitives of verbs); and * from Middle Dutch uteren (“to announce, make known”) (modern Dutch uiteren); or from Middle Low German üteren, ütern (“to demonstrate, show; to speak; to sell; etc.”) (modern Low German ütern), from Old Dutch or Old Saxon ūtan, probably from Proto-West Germanic *ūtanā (“from outside or without; outside of”). Compare Middle High German ūzeren, whence German äußern (“to express, say, utter”))

PIE word *úd From Middle English outre, utter (“away, out; further away or out; out in the open; outside, without; to a greater extent”), partly: * from outre, utter (adjective) (see etymology 1); and * from Old English ūtor, the comparative form of ūt (“out; outdoors, outside”, adverb).

Words formed from utter

Phrases with utter

Words that rhyme with utter

5 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about utter

What does utter mean?
Utter means to the furthest or most extreme extent; absolute, complete, total, unconditional.
What is utter in Tamil?
Utter in Tamil is கழறு, கூறு, சொல். See Utter meaning in Tamil.
How do you use utter in a sentence?
And ſhould Gods eare, / VVhich needs not man, be ty'd to thoſe / VVho heare not him, but quickly heare / His utter foes?
What part of speech is utter?
Utter can be an adjective, a noun, a verb or an adverb.
How do you pronounce utter?
Utter is pronounced /ˈʌtə/ (UK).

Words near utter in the dictionary

  1. Uttarakhand
  2. Uttarakuru
  3. Uttaranchal
  4. Uttarkashi
  5. Uttarā
  6. utter
  7. utter barrister
  8. utter barristers
  9. utter'd
  10. utterabilities
  11. utterability

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: utter (page history and authors); Utter (page history and authors); utter (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); utter (Urdu Wiktionary) (page history and authors); গালা (Bengali) (page history and authors); నోఱాడు (Telugu) (page history and authors); utter (Malayalam Wiktionary) (page history and authors); ಉಸಿರು (Kannada) (page history and authors); ଉଚ୍ଚାରିବା (Odia) (page history and authors); खणखणाय (Sanskrit) (page history and authors); පවසනවා (Sinhala) (page history and authors); মাত (Assamese) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-utter.ogg.

Cite this entry: “utter.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/utter. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.