utterly bad

USAGE SUMMARY

"utterly bad" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to emphasize how bad something is. For example: The food at that restaurant was utterly bad - I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The startling thing was how utterly bad Sarah Lucas looked.

The Guardian

In this light, the bride price app is not only unfunny but also in utterly bad taste.

The Guardian

And they challenged writers to create more nuanced, more varied, more thoughtful female characters, active not reactive, neither wholly good nor utterly bad.

The Guardian - Books

Sutherland recounts the affair with a tone of lofty perplexity: "How can a novel, examined so dutifully and on so many fronts, be judged at the same time as utterly bad and outstandingly good?" Later, he runs over Banville, taking him to task for misreading a squash game scene in a review of Ian McEwan's novel "Saturday".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Zack Handlen, writing for The A.V. Club, rated the episode an A, calling it "utterly bad-ass".

Wikipedia

It is unfair, utterly unnecessary and bad for Scotland".

The Guardian

Tarantino said he "completely and utterly" rejected the "bad apples" argument relating to alleged police violence.

The Guardian - Film

It is a most merciful blessing that I have kept up as I have, and have not gone utterly to the bad mad sad".

The Guardian - Books

I still cling to my idea of a love-based reality being a place where children--and us--are utterly and absolutely safe: from bad people, from bad accidents, from bad diseases, from bad anythings.

Huffington Post

"But I completely and utterly reject the "few bad apples" argument.

The Guardian - Film

The movie is both stupefyingly bad and utterly overpowering; it can elicit, sometimes within a single scene, a gasp of rapture and a spasm of revulsion.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "utterly bad" to emphasize your strong disapproval or negative assessment of something. It adds impact to your statement.

Common error

While effective, "utterly bad" can sound overly dramatic in formal writing. Consider using more nuanced language to convey your criticism in professional settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "utterly bad" functions as an intensifying adjective phrase. It modifies a noun, emphasizing the extreme negative quality of whatever is being described. Ludwig AI indicates that this is a correct usage in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

25%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "utterly bad" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase for expressing strong disapproval. While it is not as common as other similar expressions, it effectively emphasizes the negative quality being described. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides examples from diverse sources, predominantly news and media. When writing, consider the context and formality level to ensure the phrase's impact aligns with your intended message. Alternatives like "completely awful" or "totally terrible" offer similar emphasis with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely awful

Replaces "bad" with "awful", intensifying the negative connotation with a slightly different emotional tone.

totally terrible

Substitutes "bad" with "terrible", conveying a sense of something being extremely unpleasant or unacceptable.

absolutely dreadful

Replaces "bad" with "dreadful", suggesting a higher degree of unpleasantness or causing fear.

thoroughly awful

Similar to "completely awful" but emphasizes the pervasiveness of the bad quality.

unreservedly awful

A more formal and emphatic way of saying "utterly awful", suggesting no reservations about the badness.

unquestionably bad

Emphasizes that there is no doubt about how bad something is.

indisputably terrible

Indicates that the badness is beyond dispute or argument.

patently awful

Suggests that the badness is obvious and easily apparent.

downright terrible

Emphasizes the badness as being straightforward and without qualification.

remarkably bad

Indicates the badness is notable or surprising.

FAQs

How can I use "utterly bad" in a sentence?

You can use "utterly bad" to describe something you find extremely negative or of very poor quality. For example, "The food at the restaurant was "utterly bad"."

What are some alternatives to "utterly bad"?

Alternatives include "completely awful", "totally terrible", or "absolutely dreadful", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "utterly bad" grammatically correct?

Yes, "utterly bad" is grammatically correct. "Utterly" is an adverb modifying the adjective "bad", creating a phrase that intensifies the meaning of "bad".

What is the difference between "utterly bad" and "very bad"?

"Utterly bad" implies a stronger degree of negativity than "very bad". "Utterly" emphasizes the completeness or absoluteness of the badness.