2 syllables: Ut, tered. Stress on Ut.
UHT-urd
/ˈʌtɚd/
Uttered is pronounced UHT-urd (/ˈʌtɚd/). It has two syllables (Ut-tered), with the stress on "Ut". Uttered is a past tense and past participle form meaning spoken or expressed aloud. It describes something spoken or pronounced, often with emphasis or clarity, and is used across formal and informal contexts to denote speech that has occurred.
adjectiveUttered is a past tense and past participle form meaning spoken or expressed aloud. It describes something spoken or pronounced, often with emphasis or clarity, and is used across formal and informal contexts to denote speech that has occurred.
"She uttered a quiet apology after the mistake."
"The crowd uttered a collective sigh of relief."
"He uttered the phrase with careful enunciation to avoid misunderstanding."
Uttered is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈʌtərd/ in US and UK English, and /ˈʌtə(r)d/ in Australian. The primary stress is on the first syllable: UT-ered. Start with the lax, open front unrounded vowel /ʌ/ as in 'cup', then a quick schwa /ə/ for the second syllable, and finish with a light /d/. Be mindful of the rhoticity variation in US: the /ɹ/ sound is not fully pronounced after the /t/ in many American pronunciations when the following syllable is unstressed, resulting in a reduced /tər/ cluster. In careful speech, you may hear a faint /ɹ/ depending on the speaker. Audio reference: you can compare with pronunciations on Forvo or YouGlish using “uttered.”
Common mistakes include: (1) Over-pronouncing the second syllable, turning /tə/ into a full /təː/ which makes it sound old-fashioned; (2) Dropping the /t/ and saying /ˈuərd/ or /ˈʌɚd/; (3) Misplacing the stress on the second syllable, giving it /ʌˈtərd/. Correction: keep the first syllable short and stressed: /ˈʌ/ with a crisp /t/ followed by a quick /ər/ reduced vowel; end with a clear /d/. Practice with minimal pairs: UT-tered vs utter-ED is not relevant here, but emphasize the first syllable and keep the /t/ crisp. Use a brief pause between /t/ and /ər/ if enunciating carefully and avoid adding an extra vowel before /t/.
US: /ˈʌtərd/, often with a rhotic /ɹ/ influence in connected speech leading to /ˈʌɾərd/ or /ˈʌɾɚd/ in rapid speech. UK: /ˈʌtərd/ with non-rhoticity; the /ɹ/ is typically absent, suspecting a lighter /ə/ in the second syllable. AU: /ˈʌtə(r)d/ with close to /ˈʌtəɹd/ depending on speaker; vowels may be less reduced in some regional varieties. In all, the second syllable commonly reduces to /ər/ or /ə/ in fluent speech; the initial /ʌ/ is steady. Practice listening to regional recordings to capture these subtle shifts in the /t/ release timing and the realization of /ər/.
Key challenges include the quick transition from /t/ to a reduced /ər/ sequence, often with a light, almost elided /r/ in non-rhotic varieties. The first syllable carries stress but uses a lax /ʌ/, so you must avoid a heavy /ɜː/ or /ə/. The consonant cluster /tər/ requires crisp /t/ followed by a schwa-like or rhoticized vowel, which is tricky in connected speech. Practicing with controlled tempo and emphasizing the /t/ release helps maintain clarity and prevents slurring. IPA cues: US /ˈʌtərd/, UK /ˈʌtəd/; Australian /ˈʌtə(d)/ with variable rhoticity.
A distinctive feature is the subtle schwa reduction in the second syllable, especially in fast speech, where /ə/ is often barely audible, producing a quick UT-erd sound. The presence of an audible /t/ release before the vowel is crucial to avoid blends with ‘ut-’ as in ‘yew’ or ‘you.’ Keeping the first syllable stressed and the /t/ firmly released ensures the word remains distinguishable even in rapid dialogue. Audio practice with controlled pacing helps you hear and reproduce the /t/ + /ər(d)/ sequence clearly.
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US: Emphasize rhoticity and a slightly flapped or tapped /t/ in fast speech: /ˈɾər/ or /ˈɹɚ/ alongside reduced /ə/. UK: Non-rhotic; /ˈʌtərd/ with minimal post-alveolar r coloring; the second syllable often reduced to /ə/. AU: Reduced /ər/ with variable rhoticity; often similar to UK but with more rounded vowels in some regions. IPA references: US /ˈʌtɚd/ or /ˈʌɾərd/; UK /ˈʌtə(r)d/; AU /ˈʌtə(ɹ)d/. Tips: position lips neutral, with a relaxed jaw and a short, sharp /t/ release; keep the vowel sounds non-drawn. Practice listening to native speakers from different regions and imitate the exact vowel length.
Uttered comes from the Old English word utterian, from the combined roots un- (a prefix here in sense of “thoroughly”) and the verb tirian (to guard, shield) evolving into ‘utter,’ meaning to outpour or speak openly. In Middle English, uttern became associated with speaking and expressing aloud, differentiating from mere thinking. The form ut-tered emerged as the past tense and past participle of utter, aligning with other English verbs that end in -ed. The word has retained its core sense of spoken expression through centuries, expanding its usage from neutral reporting of speech to emphasize the act, manner, and force of articulation. Its earliest recorded uses appear in legal and religious texts where precise enunciation was important, and by the 18th–19th centuries it was common in literary prose to describe characters who ‘uttered’ declarations, commands, or exclamations. Today, uttered remains a precise, formal term in writing, often contrasted with implied or unspoken content.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Uttered" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Uttered"
-red sounds
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