utterly

adverb

ut·​ter·​ly ˈə-tər-lē 

: to an absolute or extreme degree : to the full extent : in an utter manner : absolutely, entirely, totally

Just when you're expecting to hear something trite or ordinary, Rich invents a tasty, utterly charming piece of ear candy.

—Carol Cooper

Whatever this stuff is, it comprises as much as 90% of the mass of the universe. It is also utterly invisible.

—M. Mitchell Waldrop

… a fascinating read, despite the fact that its unique tone is utterly lost in translation.

—Ian Buruma

Cut off utterly from her past, but socially unacceptable in this new world, Irene chooses the same refuge that's worked for her as a child: poetry.

—Sue Miller

Synonyms

• all
• all of
• all over
• altogether
• clean
• completely
• dead
• enough
• entire
• entirely
• even
• exactly
• fast
• flat
• full
• fully
• heartily
• out
• perfectly
• plumb [chiefly dialect]
• quite
• soundly
• thoroughly
• through and through
• totally
• well
• wholly
• wide

Examples of utterly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In contrast, O’Connor embodies the kind of louche, grimy and utterly dangerous sexuality that most women find infuriating and irresistible. —Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2024

This, his best film, is utterly transgressive and grimy in the most realistic fashion. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 26 Apr. 2024

And Harper, as the healer Astrov, who drinks too much to keep his self-hatred at bay, is utterly delightful. —Trish Deitch, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024

Carrie and Matt thoroughly searched their house and put up missing cat flyers in their community, utterly unaware that their cat's favorite game of box hide-and-seek had gone awry. —Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024

The blessing of the water snakes happens at the Mariner’s clinical bottoming-out: when he’s utterly isolated, on a suppurating sea, besieged by the forces of death. —James Parker, The Atlantic, 25 Apr. 2024

And there is the utterly sad and lovely scene towards the end where Yabushige prepares for seppuku before Toranaga, but first requests the indulgence of hearing more about exactly how his lord managed to outmaneuver Ishido and his allies. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2024

For Modi and his mammoth base, this new India is stronger domestically and internationally, more confident, and utterly democratic. —Michael Kugelman, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024

Pudding An almost-stale loaf of French bread gets a new lease on life in this utterly decadent Cinnamon-Pecan Breakfast Bread Pudding. —Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above