utterly silent

USAGE SUMMARY

"utterly silent" is a valid construction in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where there is absolutely no sound. For example: "The hallway was utterly silent, the only sound coming from my own footsteps."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

The air above Warsaw is utterly silent.

The Guardian - Books

The room will become utterly silent once the solving begins.

Princeton University

Obama has been utterly silent in the Boeing affair.

The Washington Post

With the hall utterly silent, she cautioned, "Disrespect invites disrespect.

The New Yorker

Some, though, are utterly silent when they're switched off, which is an unhappy surprise.

The New York Times - Tech

"In those meetings," Bhushan told me, Kejriwal sat utterly silent and "absorbed it all".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

I looked at the faces around the kitchen and, to a one, all were staring down at the floor, all perfectly silent, perfectly still, utterly alone.

The New York Times - Magazine

They were utterly puzzled, silent in the face of her effusive charade.

The Guardian - Opinion

It got more and more passionate and intense, and she held that crowd utterly spellbound, totally silent.

The Guardian - Music

When after an hour or so I fell silent, utterly exhausted, she looked at me out of her great Biblical eyes and said: "Come to think of it, there must have been some relations of Noah who had met Adam.

The Guardian

But we stood silent, utterly convinced of their false consciousness and exploitation.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "utterly silent" to create a strong sense of stillness or anticipation in your writing. It's particularly effective when contrasting with a previously noisy environment or when setting a suspenseful scene.

Common error

Avoid using "utterly silent" to describe reactions in dialogue. Overusing it can make characters seem unnaturally stoic. Opt for more nuanced descriptions of nonverbal communication like facial expressions or body language.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "utterly silent" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by an adjective. The adverb "utterly" intensifies the adjective "silent", emphasizing the complete absence of sound. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to describe situations where there is absolutely no sound.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Academia

4%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "utterly silent" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that effectively conveys a state of complete absence of sound. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is used to describe situations where there is literally no noise. Predominantly found in News & Media, this combination functions as an intensifier ("utterly") modifying an adjective ("silent"). While alternatives like "completely quiet" and "deathly quiet" exist, "utterly silent" provides a direct and neutral description suitable for various writing styles. Be mindful of overuse in dialogue to maintain a natural tone, as overusing it can make characters seem unnatural.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely quiet

Focuses on the general lack of noise, differing from "utterly silent" which emphasizes the absoluteness of the silence.

absolutely soundless

Highlights the complete absence of sound in a more literal way, similar to "utterly silent" but less common.

pin-drop silence

Describes a silence so complete that even a pin dropping would be audible, a more figurative expression than "utterly silent".

eerily quiet

Suggests a silence that is unsettling or strange, adding an emotional tone absent in "utterly silent".

totally hushed

Focuses on the suppression of sound, implying that there might have been noise before, unlike the neutral "utterly silent".

stone-cold quiet

Evokes a silence that is stark and absolute, similar to "utterly silent" but with a slightly different emotional resonance.

deathly quiet

Implies a silence associated with death or a morbid atmosphere, which is a more specific connotation than "utterly silent".

quiet as the grave

Similar to "deathly quiet", associates the silence with death and the tomb, a more metaphorical expression than "utterly silent".

completely muted

Suggests that sounds are intentionally reduced or eliminated, while "utterly silent" doesn't imply a cause.

perfectly still

Emphasizes the absence of movement and activity in addition to sound, unlike "utterly silent" which is solely about sound.

FAQs

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

You can use "utterly silent" to describe a place or a situation where there is absolutely no sound. For instance, "The forest was "utterly silent" after the snowfall".

What are some alternatives to "utterly silent"?

Some alternatives to "utterly silent" include "completely quiet", "deathly quiet", or "perfectly still", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "completely silent" instead of "utterly silent"?

Yes, "completely silent" is a perfectly acceptable alternative to "utterly silent". Both phrases convey the same meaning, although "utterly" can sometimes add a slightly stronger emphasis.

What's the difference between "utterly silent" and "eerily quiet"?

"Utterly silent" simply describes the absence of sound, whereas "eerily quiet" suggests that the silence is unsettling or strange. The latter implies an emotional or atmospheric quality to the silence.