utmost

1 of 2

adjective

ut·​most ˈət-ˌmōst 

 especially Southern  -məst

1

: situated at the farthest or most distant point : extreme

the utmost point of the earth

—John Hunt

2

: of the greatest or highest degree, quantity, number, or amount

a matter of utmost concern

utmost

2 of 2

noun

1

: the most possible : the extreme limit : the highest attainable point or degree

the utmost in reliability

2

: the highest, greatest, or best of one's abilities, powers, and resources

will do our utmost to help

Did you know?

Utmost comes from Old English ūtmest, a superlative adjective formed from the adverb ūt, meaning "out." The earlier sense of utmost carries the same meaning as outermost.

Synonyms

Adjective

• extreme
• farthermost
• farthest
• furthermost
• furthest
• outermost
• outmost
• remotest
• ultimate

Examples of utmost in a Sentence

Adjective

supreme power that extended to the utmost points of the empire

she is a successful leader who deserves the utmost respect

Noun

This new system represents the utmost in modern technology.

It's designed to provide the utmost in comfort.

We had to push ourselves to the utmost to finish the job in time.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

With these occasions making up a sometimes significant portion of a nonprofit’s revenue, hosting the right kind of fundraising event and attracting the right audience is of utmost importance. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024

Good manners and etiquette might be of utmost importance to Southerners, but those are easy enough to learn via lessons with your mother and a trusty Emily Post book. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024

Noun

Parents do their utmost to shield their children from harm. —Abe Kwok, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024

Bakker: Mariska was a very kind and sweet singer who did her utmost to achieve the best. —Jim Clash, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, alteration of utmest, from Old English ūtmest, superlative adjective, from ūt out, adverb — more at out entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing utmost

• do one's utmost

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Kids Definition

utmost

adjective

ut·​most

ˈət-ˌmōst,

 especially Southern  -məst

1

: located at the farthest or most distant point

2

: of the greatest or highest degree, quantity, number, or amount

a matter of the utmost urgency

utmost noun

Etymology

Adjective

Old English ūtmest "outermost," from ūt "out" and -mest (a superlative adjective suffix similar to -est)