utterance
1 Americannoun
-
an act of uttering; vocal expression.
-
manner of speaking; power of speaking.
His very utterance was spellbinding.
-
something uttered; a word or words uttered; a cry, animal's call, or the like.
-
Linguistics. any speech sequence consisting of one or more words and preceded and followed by silence: it may be coextensive with a sentence.
-
Obsolete. a public sale of goods.
noun
noun
-
something uttered, such as a statement
-
the act or power of uttering or the ability to utter
-
logic philosophy an element of spoken language, esp a sentence Compare inscription
noun
Etymology
Origin of utterance1
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; utter 1, -ance
Origin of utterance2
1350–1400; Middle English < Old French outrance, oultrance, equivalent to oultr ( er ) to pass beyond (< Latin ultrā beyond) + -ance -ance
Explanation
An utterance is a bit of spoken language. It could be anything from "Ugh!" to a full sentence. To utter means "to say." So when you're saying something, you're making utterances. Saying "24" in math class is an utterance. A police officer yelling "Stop!" is an utterance. Saying "Good boy!" to your dog is an utterance. Even a long speech by the President is an utterance. If you can't hear it, it's not an utterance.
Vocabulary lists containing utterance
Silas Marner
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Phase the first
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Selection Vocabulary 2, Unit 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And you couldn’t swing a dead cat at CES without hitting an AI-powered gadget that promises to listen and interpret your every utterance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 24, 2026
Before even the utterance of a word, Kaamilah Thomas spoke for herself.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025
The joy of the experience is writ large over Schoeman's bearded face and in his every utterance.
From BBC • Jul. 4, 2025
In the era of streaming and social media, Beyoncé knows that her every public appearance and utterance will be scrutinized, commented on, cross-referenced, circulated as clickbait and hot-taked in both good faith and bad.
From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2024
Where was my answer, the riddle of the oracle, the ambiguous utterance of prophecy?
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
