Utter vs. Pure — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 21, 2024
Utter emphasizes completeness or totality in an often negative context, while Pure indicates something is free from impurities or mixed elements, often used positively.
Difference Between Utter and Pure
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Utter is used to describe something as absolute or complete, often highlighting the extremity or intensity of a situation. For instance, "utter nonsense" implies complete foolishness without any redeeming aspects. On the other hand, Pure denotes something that is free from any impurities or contaminants, often implying innocence or perfection, such as "pure water" which means water free from any pollutants.
The term utter often carries a negative connotation, as in "utter failure," suggesting a total and unmitigated lack of success. Pure, conversely, generally has a positive connotation, indicating something untainted or of high quality, like "pure joy," meaning happiness unblemished by any negative feelings.
Utter can also refer to the act of speaking or expressing something aloud, such as "utter a word," meaning to say something. Pure, however, focuses on the intrinsic quality of something being unadulterated, such as "pure gold," which is gold that has not been mixed with any other metals.
While utter emphasizes the extremity or totality of a situation or state, pure highlights the uncontaminated and pristine nature of something. For example, "utter silence" refers to complete silence, whereas "pure silence" might evoke a sense of peaceful, undisturbed quietness.
Both terms can be used to describe abstract concepts, but their nuances differ significantly. Utter often underscores an extreme degree, while pure emphasizes cleanliness, innocence, or unadulterated quality.
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
Complete, absolute
Free from impurities or mix
Connotation
Often negative
Often positive
Example Context
Utter failure
Pure joy
Additional Use
To express verbally (utter a word)
Describing intrinsic quality
Abstract Concepts
Emphasizes extremity or totality
Highlights untainted nature
Compare with Definitions
Utter
To speak or express aloud.
She couldn't utter a single word.
Pure
Free from any impurities or contaminants.
The laboratory needed pure water for the experiment.
Utter
Absolute, often used in a negative sense.
It was utter nonsense.
Pure
Innocent or virtuous.
The child's laughter was pure and innocent.
Utter
Without qualification; used to emphasize something negative.
He felt utter despair.
Pure
Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed
Pure oxygen.
Utter
Complete; absolute
Charlotte stared at her in utter amazement
Pure
Free of dirt, pollutants, infectious agents, or other unwanted elements
Pure water.
Utter
Make (a sound) with one's voice
He uttered an exasperated snort
Pure
Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous
A pure style of piano playing.
Utter
Put (forged money) into circulation.
Pure
Complete; utter
Pure folly.
Utter
To send forth with the voice
Uttered a cry.
Pure
Having no moral failing or guilt
"I felt pure and sweet as a new baby" (Sylvia Plath).
Utter
To articulate (words); pronounce or speak
Uttered "yes.".
Pure
Chaste; virgin.
Utter
(Law) To put (counterfeit currency or a forged check or instrument) into circulation
Utter a bad check.
Pure
Of unmixed blood or ancestry.
Utter
(Obsolete) To offer (merchandise) for sale; sell.
Pure
(Genetics) Produced by self-fertilization or continual inbreeding; homozygous
A pure line.
Utter
Complete; absolute; entire
Utter nonsense.
Utter darkness.
Pure
(Music) Free from discordant qualities
Pure tones.
Utter
Outer; furthest out, most remote.
Pure
(Linguistics) Articulated with a single unchanging speech sound; monophthongal
A pure vowel.
Utter
(obsolete) Outward.
Pure
Theoretical; not applied
Pure science.
Utter
Absolute, unconditional, total, complete.
Utter ruin; utter darkness
Pure
(Philosophy) Free of empirical elements
Pure reason.
Utter
(transitive) To produce (speech or other sounds) with one's voice.
Don't you utter another word!
Pure
Free of flaws or imperfections; unsullied.
Utter
(transitive) To reveal or express (an idea, thought, desire, etc.) with speech.
Pure
Free of foreign material or pollutants.
Utter
To produce (a noise) (of an inanimate object).
Sally's car uttered a hideous shriek when she applied the brakes.
Pure
Free of immoral behavior or qualities; clean.
Utter
To spit or blow (something) out of one's mouth.
Pure
Mere; that and that only.
That idea is pure madness!
Utter
To emit or give off (breath).
Pure
(of a branch of science) Done for its own sake instead of serving another branch of science.
Utter
To shed (a tear or tears).
Pure
(phonetics) Of a single, simple sound or tone; said of some vowels and the unaspirated consonants.
Utter
To offer (something) for sale; to sell.
Pure
(of sound) Without harmonics or overtones; not harsh or discordant.
Utter
To put (currency) into circulation.
Pure
A lot of.
Utter
To show (something that has been hidden); to reveal the identity of (someone).
Pure
To a great extent or degree; extremely; exceedingly.
You’re pure busy.
Utter
To send or put (something) out.
Pure
(golf) to hit (the ball) completely cleanly and accurately
Tiger Woods pured his first drive straight down the middle of the fairway.
Utter
To commit the crime of uttering knowingly presenting forged documentation.
Pure
To cleanse; to refine.
Utter
Outer.
As doth an hidden mothThe inner garment fret, not th' utter touch.
Pure
One who, or that which, is pure.
Utter
Situated on the outside, or extreme limit; remote from the center; outer.
Through utter and through middle darkness borne.
The very utter part pf Saint Adelmes point is five miles from Sandwich.
Pure
Alternative form of puer
Utter
Complete; perfect; total; entire; absolute; as, utter ruin; utter darkness.
They . . . are utter strangers to all those anxious thoughts which disquiet mankind.
Pure
Separate from all heterogeneous or extraneous matter; free from mixture or combination; clean; mere; simple; unmixed; as, pure water; pure clay; pure air; pure compassion.
The pure fetters on his shins great.
A guinea is pure gold if it has in it no alloy.
Utter
Peremptory; unconditional; unqualified; final; as, an utter refusal or denial.
Pure
Free from moral defilement or quilt; hence, innocent; guileless; chaste; - applied to persons.
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience.
Utter
To put forth or out; to reach out.
How bragly [proudly] it begins to bud,And utter his tender head.
Pure
Free from that which harms, vitiates, weakens, or pollutes; genuine; real; perfect; - applied to things and actions.
Such was the origin of a friendship as warm and pure as any that ancient or modern history records.
Utter
To dispose of in trade; to sell or vend.
Such mortal drugs I have, but Mantua's lawIs death to any he that utters them.
They bring it home, and utter it commonly by the name of Newfoundland fish.
Pure
Ritually clean; fitted for holy services.
Thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the Lord.
Utter
Hence, to put in circulation, as money; to put off, as currency; to cause to pass in trade; - often used, specifically, of the issue of counterfeit notes or coins, forged or fraudulent documents, and the like; as, to utter coin or bank notes.
The whole kingdom should continue in a firm resolution never to receive or utter this fatal coin.
Pure
Of a single, simple sound or tone; - said of some vowels and the unaspirated consonants.
Utter
To give public expression to; to disclose; to publish; to speak; to pronounce.
The words I utterLet none think flattery, for they 'll find 'em truth.
And the last words he uttered called me cruel.
Pure
Free of extraneous elements of any kind;
Pure air and water
Pure gold
Pure primary colors
The violin's pure and lovely song
Pure tones
Utter
Articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise;
She expressed her anger
He uttered a curse
Pure
Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers;
An arrant fool
A complete coward
A consummate fool
A double-dyed villain
Gross negligence
A perfect idiot
Pure folly
What a sodding mess
Stark staring mad
A thoroughgoing villain
Utter nonsense
Utter
Express audibly; utter sounds (not necessarily words);
She let out a big heavy sigh
He uttered strange sounds that nobody could understand
Pure
Concerned with theory and data rather than practice; opposed to applied;
Pure science
Utter
Express in speech;
She talks a lot of nonsense
This depressed patient does not verbalize
Pure
(of color) being chromatically pure; not diluted with white or gray or black
Utter
Put into circulation;
Utter counterfeit currency
Pure
Free from discordant qualities
Utter
Without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers;
An arrant fool
A complete coward
A consummate fool
A double-dyed villain
Gross negligence
A perfect idiot
Pure folly
What a sodding mess
Stark staring mad
A thoroughgoing villain
Utter nonsense
Pure
Used of persons or behaviors; having no faults; sinless;
I felt pure and sweet as a new baby
Pure as the driven snow
Utter
Total;
Dead silence
Utter seriousness
Pure
In a state of sexual virginity;
Pure and vestal modesty
A spinster or virgin lady
Men have decreed that their women must be pure and virginal
Utter
Complete or total.
The plan was an utter disaster.
Pure
Not mixed;
Pure oxygen
Utter
Fully or entirely.
The room was in utter chaos.
Pure
Wholesome and untainted.
Her pure heart was admired by everyone.
Pure
Unmixed with any other matter.
The necklace was made of pure gold.
Pure
Clean or free from adulteration.
They breathed in the pure mountain air.
Common Curiosities
Is "utter" only used negatively?
No, but it frequently carries a negative connotation, such as in "utter failure."
Can "utter" have a positive connotation?
While typically negative, "utter" can be neutral when referring to speech, like "utter a word."
How is "pure" used in a scientific context?
Pure describes substances without any contaminants, like "pure water."
What contexts use "pure"?
Pure is used to describe something clean, untainted, or of high quality.
How is "pure" different from "utter"?
Pure indicates something free from impurities, whereas utter emphasizes completeness or totality, often in a negative sense.
Can you use "pure" to describe emotions?
Yes, pure can describe emotions like "pure joy" or "pure love."
What does "utter" mean?
Utter means complete or total, often used to emphasize the extremity of something.
Does "utter" mean the same as "complete"?
Yes, utter and complete can be synonymous in contexts emphasizing totality.
What is an example of "utter" as a verb?
"She couldn't utter a single word" means she couldn't speak.
Can "pure" refer to cleanliness?
Yes, pure can mean free from dirt or impurities, like "pure water."
What does "utter nonsense" mean?
It means complete foolishness without any sensible aspect.
Can "pure" describe people?
Yes, it can describe someone's innocence or virtue, like "pure-hearted."
Can "pure" be negative?
Rarely, but it could be if describing something harmful that is unadulterated.
Is "utter" used in everyday language?
Yes, it's commonly used to emphasize totality, such as "utter chaos."
What is "pure gold"?
Gold that has not been mixed with any other metals.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
