Utterance Meaning
/ˈʌtəɹəns/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn act of, or the process of, uttering.
nounAn instance of that act or process: especially, something spoken (e.g., syllables, words, phrases); (especially linguistics) any such thing either spoken or written.
Sentence Examples
She choked her utterance with sobs.
The utterance is potentially misleading.
Tom has naturally a very agreeable voice and utterance.
CEFR Practice Quiz
His strange ____ during the weekly meeting confused everyone who was present.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Every single ____ from the speaker was carefully recorded by the researchers for several later and deep analysis today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English utteraunce, outeraunce; equivalent to utter + -ance.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"at length gave utterance to these words"
— 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
"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."
— 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, “XXVA”, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 203:
"To know how one should express oneself in saying or judging that there really are falsehoods without getting caught up in contradiction by such an utterance: that's extremely difficult, Theaetetus."
— 2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 237a:
"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."
— 1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter X, in Emma: […], volume III, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, page 175:
"They [...] began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts ii:4:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
His strange ____ during the weekly meeting confused everyone who was present.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Every single ____ from the speaker was carefully recorded by the researchers for several later and deep analysis today.