look utterly at

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "look utterly at" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete expression and lacks context for proper usage. Example: "When you look utterly at the situation, you realize how serious it is."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It's a smart retro look utterly at odds with the hyper-sexualised standard for female R&B acts, one that has made her a favourite on the pages of Vogue.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In July, he looked utterly at ease video-chatting about social networks with the Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, an awkward setup under the best of circumstances.

The New Yorker

Mr. Clinton, who has appeared several times at the church and in countless other black churches, clutched a Bible and looked utterly at home.

The New York Times

I know it's not his debut, but it may as well be considering how long ago his single Test against Bangladesh was, and yet he looks utterly at ease.

The Guardian - Sport

Laurent Blanc's players heaved unsuccessfully to contain slippery opponents and were made to look utterly limited at times.

The Guardian - Sport

To the extent that the outside world cares at all, we must look utterly bizarre.

The Guardian - Opinion

They look utterly extraterrestrial.

The Guardian

Lord Sugar, Karren Brady and Nick Hewer all look utterly bored.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

You'll look utterly preposterous.

The Guardian - Sport

But their border regions look utterly different.

The Economist

Look utterly ordinary.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "look utterly at" in formal writing. Instead, opt for stronger and more grammatically correct alternatives like "look completely" or "seem entirely".

Common error

Avoid placing "at" after "utterly" when modifying "look". The correct structure involves using an adverb to directly modify the verb, such as "look utterly [adjective]" or "look completely [adjective]".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "look utterly at" functions as a verb phrase where "look" is the main verb and "utterly" attempts to modify it, followed by the preposition "at". However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is grammatically questionable, as "utterly" should typically be followed by an adjective rather than "at."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "look utterly at" is considered grammatically incorrect and is rarely used. Ludwig AI identifies it as an incomplete expression lacking proper context. Although some examples exist, it's advisable to use grammatically correct alternatives such as ""look utterly"" followed by an adjective, or rephrase the sentence using alternatives like ""appear completely"" or ""seem entirely"". Its limited frequency and questionable grammatical standing make it unsuitable for formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

look absolutely

Emphasizes the intensity of the appearance with "absolutely" replacing "utterly at".

look entirely

Replaces "utterly at" with "entirely", focusing on the completeness of the appearance.

look fully

Replaces "utterly at" with "fully", indicating a complete visual impression.

look perfectly

Emphasizes the ideal or flawless appearance with "perfectly".

appear completely

Replaces "look" with "appear" and "utterly at" with "completely", focusing on general appearance.

seem entirely

Uses "seem" instead of "look" and "entirely" to emphasize the perceived state.

appear thoroughly

Replaces "look" with "appear" and uses "thoroughly" to describe the completeness of the state.

seem totally

Uses "seem" and "totally" to indicate a complete and evident appearance.

appear wholly

Uses "appear" instead of "look" and "wholly" to convey completeness.

seem completely

Combines "seem" with "completely" to express a fully perceived state.

FAQs

Is "look utterly at" grammatically correct?

No, "look utterly at" is not grammatically correct. It's better to use phrases like "look utterly" or "look completely" followed by an adjective.

What can I say instead of "look utterly at"?

You can use alternatives such as "appear completely" or "seem entirely" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "look utterly at" or "look utterly"?

"Look utterly" is the correct and more common phrase. Adding "at" after "utterly" is grammatically incorrect in most contexts.

What's the difference between "look utterly" and "look completely"?

While both phrases are similar, ""look utterly"" and ""look completely"" are near synonyms. "Utterly" might imply a slightly stronger degree of intensity than "completely" but in practical terms, they're often interchangeable.