utmost

1 of 2

adjective

ut·​most ˈət-ˌmōst How to pronounce utmost (audio)
 especially Southern  -məst
1
: situated at the farthest or most distant point : extreme
the utmost point of the earthJohn Hunt
2
: of the greatest or highest degree, quantity, number, or amount
a matter of utmost concern

utmost

2 of 2

noun

1
: the most possible : the extreme limit : the highest attainable point or degree
the utmost in reliability
2
: the highest, greatest, or best of one's abilities, powers, and resources
will do our utmost to help

Did you know?

Utmost comes from Old English ūtmest, a superlative adjective formed from the adverb ūt, meaning "out." The earlier sense of utmost carries the same meaning as outermost.

Examples of utmost in a Sentence

Adjective supreme power that extended to the utmost points of the empire she is a successful leader who deserves the utmost respect Noun This new system represents the utmost in modern technology. It's designed to provide the utmost in comfort. We had to push ourselves to the utmost to finish the job in time.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Along with education and appreciation, ensuring the legacy of Carnegie Hall remains for future generations is of the utmost importance to Smith and his fellow custodians on the Board. Freya Drohan, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2024 Burgos Santoyo Smith, Inc., is equipped to guide each client with the utmost compassion and support throughout California and St. Clair County, Illinois. Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2024
Noun
Parents do their utmost to shield their children from harm. Abe Kwok, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024 Bakker: Mariska was a very kind and sweet singer who did her utmost to achieve the best. Jim Clash, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for utmost 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'utmost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, alteration of utmest, from Old English ūtmest, superlative adjective, from ūt out, adverb — more at out entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of utmost was before the 12th century

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Dictionary Entries Near utmost

Cite this Entry

“Utmost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/utmost. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

utmost

adjective
ut·​most
ˈət-ˌmōst,
 especially Southern  -məst
1
: located at the farthest or most distant point
2
: of the greatest or highest degree, quantity, number, or amount
a matter of the utmost urgency
utmost noun
Etymology

Adjective

Old English ūtmest "outermost," from ūt "out" and -mest (a superlative adjective suffix similar to -est)

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