utter negligence

USAGE SUMMARY

"utter negligence" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to describe severe or extreme negligence. For example, "The factory owner's utter negligence of safety protocols led to several serious injuries."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Throughout this debacle, there has been cause to wonder whether BP behaved so badly that it might end up making the rest of its industry look relatively safe — if the problem was utter negligence, not industry-wide practices.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Indeed, a defense of ignorance raises even more serious questions about gross negligence, overwhelming self-interest and utter stupidity.

Huffington Post

That was pure negligence.

The Guardian

This is gross negligence".

BBC

The complaint alleges assault and negligence, gross negligence and recklessness on Facebook's part.

TechCrunch

* Lawsuit alleges gross negligence, carelessness.

Huffington Post

That's not gross negligence".

Huffington Post

Child's lawyer reportedly said that none of the people, other than the mayor, who requested the cities password information "were qualified to have it," and that in his defense Child's hopes to "expose the utter mismanagement, negligence, and corruption at DTIS, which if left unchecked, will in fact place the City of San Francisco in danger".

TechCrunch

As we began to ask questions of Juárez officials, we unearthed utter incompetence at best, and willful negligence at worst.

The New York Times

More Negligence.

The New Yorker

Almost criminal negligence?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "utter negligence", ensure the context clearly demonstrates a severe lack of care or responsibility. This phrase carries a strong negative connotation, so use it when the situation warrants such emphasis.

Common error

Avoid using "utter negligence" in situations where simple carelessness or oversight is more appropriate. The phrase is strong and should be reserved for cases of extreme neglect. Using weaker terms like "simple oversight" or "minor negligence" may be more fitting in some contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "utter negligence" functions as a noun phrase where "utter" intensifies the degree of "negligence". As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correctly used to describe severe or extreme cases of negligence. The examples show its use in contexts involving professional or institutional failures.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "utter negligence" is a valid and usable English phrase that describes a severe lack of care or responsibility. Ludwig AI confirms that it's used to emphasize the extreme nature of neglect. While "utter negligence" is relatively rare, its usage is appropriate in contexts where strong condemnation is warranted, such as in news reports or professional discussions. The phrase functions as a noun phrase with "utter" intensifying "negligence". When writing, it's best to reserve this phrase for situations genuinely demonstrating a high degree of neglect to avoid overstatement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utter carelessness

Replaces "negligence" with a synonym, focusing on the lack of attention and responsibility.

pure negligence

Uses "pure" instead of "utter" to emphasize the unadulterated nature of the negligence.

total negligence

Replaces "utter" with "total", stressing the completeness of the negligence.

overwhelming negligence

Substitutes "utter" with "overwhelming", suggesting a magnitude of negligence.

complete negligence

Uses "complete" instead of "utter" to stress that negligence is comprehensive.

sheer negligence

Substitutes "utter" with "sheer", emphasizing the unmitigated nature of the negligence.

great negligence

Employs "great" to indicate a high degree of negligence.

outright negligence

Replaces "utter" with "outright" to underscore direct and overt negligence.

extreme negligence

Substitutes "utter" with "extreme", suggesting a very high degree of negligence.

utter disregard

Changes the noun to "disregard", highlighting a complete lack of concern or respect.

FAQs

How to use "utter negligence" in a sentence?

Use "utter negligence" to describe situations where there is an extreme lack of care or responsibility. For instance, "The company's utter negligence in maintaining safety standards led to a serious accident."

What can I say instead of "utter negligence"?

You can use alternatives like "utter carelessness", "overwhelming negligence", or "extreme negligence" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "utter negligence" a formal or informal expression?

"Utter negligence" is generally suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although it carries a strong negative connotation. It is frequently used in legal, news, and professional settings.

What's the difference between "utter negligence" and "gross negligence"?

"Utter negligence" emphasizes the completeness or extremity of the negligence, while "gross negligence" refers to a severe departure from the ordinary standard of care. The terms are similar, but "gross negligence" often implies a higher degree of culpability.