- to give audible expression to (something): to utter a growl
- to put into circulation (counterfeit coin, forged banknotes, etc)
- (transitive) to make publicly known; publish: to utter slander
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ut•ter1 /ˈʌtɚ/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
ut•ter2 /ˈʌtɚ/USA pronunciation adj. [before a noun]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to speak or pronounce:He was unable to utter a word.
- to emit or give out (cries, notes, etc.) with the voice:to utter a sigh.
- to give forth (a sound) otherwise than with the voice:The engine uttered a shriek.
ut•ter2 /ˈʌtɚ/USA pronunciation adj. [before a noun]
- complete;
total;
absolute:utter abandonment to grief.
ut•ter1
(ut′ər),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
ut′ter•a•ble, adj.
ut′ter•er, n.
ut′ter•less, adj.
ut•ter2 (ut′ər),USA pronunciation adj.
ut′ter•ness, n.
- to give audible expression to;
speak or pronounce:unable to utter her feelings; Words were uttered in my hearing. - to give forth (cries, notes, etc.) with the voice:to utter a sigh.
- [Phonet.]to produce (speech sounds, speechlike sounds, syllables, words, etc.) audibly, with or without reference to formal language.
- to express (oneself or itself ), esp. in words.
- to give forth (a sound) otherwise than with the voice:The engine uttered a shriek.
- to express by written or printed words.
- to make publicly known;
publish:to utter a libel. - to put into circulation, as coins, notes, and esp. counterfeit money or forged checks.
- to expel;
emit. - [Obs.]to publish, as a book.
- [Obs.]to sell.
v.i.
- to employ the faculty of speech;
use the voice to talk, make sounds, etc.:His piety prevented him from uttering on religion. - to sustain utterance;
undergo speaking:Those ideas are so dishonest they will not utter.
- 1350–1400; Middle English outren (see out, -er6); cognate with German äussern to declare
ut′ter•er, n.
ut′ter•less, adj.
ut•ter2 (ut′ər),USA pronunciation adj.
- complete;
total;
absolute:her utter abandonment to grief. - unconditional;
unqualified:an utter denial.
- bef. 900; Middle English; Old English uttra, ūtera outer. See out, -er4
- 1. See absolute.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
utter /ˈʌtə/ vb
utter /ˈʌtə/ adj
- (prenominal) (intensifier): an utter fool, utter bliss, the utter limit
'utter' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
arrant
- babble
- bawl
- bay
- beat
- bell
- bewildering
- blaspheme
- bleat
- blubber
- blurt
- bray
- burble
- buzz
- cackle
- call
- call out
- catcall
- chaos
- checkmate
- cheep
- chorus
- cooee
- cough
- craw
- croak
- crow
- cry
- curse
- deliver
- destitution
- drawl
- drone
- drum
- ejaculate
- emit
- encomiast
- express
- falter
- fetch
- flute
- gabble
- gargle
- gasp
- gibber
- give
- groan
- growl
- grumble
- grunt