utterly
/ˈʌtərli/
completely or entirely
She was utterly exhausted after the marathon.
She was completely exhausted after the marathon.
formalinformal
to the greatest possible degree; completely or entirely
The plan utterly failed.
The plan failed completely.
He was utterly convinced of his innocence.
He was completely convinced of his innocence.
Often used to emphasize a strong or absolute state.
Collocations
utterly destroyedcompletely destroyedutterly amazedcompletely amazedutterly confusedcompletely confused
Pro Tip
Emphasis
Use 'utterly' to emphasize the extent of something, whether positive or negative.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'utterly,' from Old English 'ūte' (outside) + '-ly' (adverb suffix). Originally meant 'outside' or 'externally,' later evolved to mean 'completely.'
Usage Notes
Can be used to intensify both positive and negative statements. Often used in formal and informal contexts.
Word Breakdown
utter
complete or entire
root-ly
adverb suffix
suffixEnglish Dictionary