What does "utterance" mean?
An act of, or the process of, uttering.
Utterance
/ˈʌtəɹəns/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An act of, or the process of, uttering.
- Grammar: utterance is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: address, adjectival phrase, affirmance, affirmation.
- Useful contrasts: inaudibility, mumbling, no speech.
- Usage evidence: She choked her utterance with sobs.
How to use "utterance"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "utterance" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "utterance" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "utterance" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "utterance" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "utterance" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "address" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "utterance", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An act of, or the process of, uttering. countable, uncountable
"at length gave utterance to these words"
- 2 The utmost extremity, especially of a fight; bodily harm or death. archaic, literary
"Among champions and such as strive for the masterie in feats of activitie, we count those for their adversaries and concurrents onely, who professe and practise the same kinde of game or exercise; for those that goe to it with fists and buffers, are commonly friends good enough to such sword-fencers as fight at sharpe to the utterance, and well-willers to the champions called Pancratiastae."
- 3 the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication wordnet
- 4 An instance of that act or process: especially, something spoken (e.g., syllables, words, phrases); (especially linguistics) any such thing either spoken or written. countable, uncountable
"And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes."
- 5 The ability to speak. countable, uncountable
"Mrs. Weston kissed her with tears of joy; and when she could find utterance, assured her, that this protestation had done her more good than any thing else in the world could do."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A manner of speaking. countable, uncountable
"He has a good utterance."
- 7 A sale made by offering to the public. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"The clothemakers[…] had great profite and good utterance of the sayd cloth"
- 8 An act of putting in circulation. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"the utterance of false coin, or of forged notes"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"She choked her utterance with sobs."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "utterance"?
Common synonyms include: address, adjectival phrase, affirmance, affirmation, allegation, announcement.
How do you use "utterance" in a sentence?
She choked her utterance with sobs.
How do you pronounce "utterance"?
Pronounced /ˈʌtəɹəns/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English utteraunce, outeraunce; equivalent to utter + -ance.
Etymology 2
From Middle English outraunce, utteraunce, from Old French outrance (see outrance).