Utterly means completely, totally, one hundred percent — with nothing left over. It is an intensifier: its job is to make the word after it stronger. But it does not go with just any word, and that is the real lesson here. Two rules that native speakers follow without thinking.

UtterlyUtterly means completely, totally, one hundred percent意思是完全、徹底、百分之百——with nothing left over一點都不剩。It它 is an intensifier是一個強調詞：its job它的工作 is to make the word after it stronger是讓它後面的字變得更強烈。But但 it它 does not go with just any word不是隨便什麼字都能搭，and而 that這 is the real lesson here才是這裡真正要學的重點。Two rules兩條規則 that native speakers follow without thinking是母語人士不假思索就會遵守的。

First, utterly nearly always attaches to something bad or extreme: utterly exhausted, utterly ridiculous, utterly destroyed, utterly useless, utterly miserable, utterly wrong, utterly alone. You do not say 'utterly happy' or 'utterly delicious' — those sound strange, and a listener would smile. If the feeling is very strong and dark, or the failure is total, utterly fits.

First第一，utterly utterly nearly always attaches to something bad or extreme幾乎都是接在負面或極端的字前面：utterly exhausted累壞了、utterly ridiculous荒謬至極、utterly destroyed徹底被摧毀、utterly useless完全沒用、utterly miserable悲慘至極、utterly wrong大錯特錯、utterly alone完全孤單。You你 do not say 'utterly happy' or 'utterly delicious'不會說「utterly happy」或「utterly delicious」——those那些 sound strange聽起來很奇怪，and而 a listener聽的人 would smile會忍不住笑。If the feeling is very strong and dark如果那種感覺很強烈又很陰暗，or或 the failure is total或者是徹底的失敗，utterlyutterly fits就很適合。

Second, it goes with words that are already absolute or extreme, not with ordinary middle-of-the-road ones: 'utterly impossible' works, 'utterly difficult' does not. There is one warm exception you will hear a lot: 'utterly delighted' and 'utterly charming' — very strong positive feelings, usually in polite or slightly posh English.

Second第二，it它 goes with words that are already absolute or extreme會搭配本來就已經是絕對或極端的字，not with ordinary middle-of-the-road ones不會搭配普通、中間值的字：'utterly impossible'「utterly impossible」 works可以，'utterly difficult'「utterly difficult」 does not不行。There有 is one warm exception一個溫暖的例外，you will hear a lot你會常常聽到：'utterly delighted' and 'utterly charming'「utterly delighted」和「utterly charming」——very strong positive feelings非常強烈的正面感受，usually in polite or slightly posh English通常用在客氣、有點講究的英文裡。

In grammar it sits before an adjective, a past participle, or sometimes a verb: 'She utterly refused.' 'The town was utterly destroyed.' In register it is a shade more literary and emphatic than 'completely'; it is common in writing and in emotional speech, and it makes a sentence sound like you mean it. Close friends: completely, absolutely, totally, entirely — with 'totally' being the casual one young people use, and 'utterly' the one that sounds like a novel or a person genuinely upset.

In grammar在文法上，it它 sits before an adjective, a past participle, or sometimes a verb會放在形容詞、過去分詞前面，有時候放在動詞前面：'She utterly refused.'「She utterly refused.」'The town was utterly destroyed.'「The town was utterly destroyed.」In register在語感上，it它 is a shade more literary and emphatic than 'completely'比「completely」更文學、更強調一點；it它 is common in writing and in emotional speech常見於文章和情緒激動的口語裡，and而且 it它 makes a sentence sound like you mean it讓一句話聽起來你是真心這麼認為的。Close friends近義詞：completely, absolutely, totally, entirely有 completely, absolutely, totally, entirely——with 'totally''totally' being the casual one young people use是年輕人在用的口語版，and而 'utterly''utterly' the one that sounds like a novel or a person genuinely upset是聽起來像小說或一個真心難過的人會用的那個。