Use utmost before a noun to intensify ideas such as care, importance, respect, secrecy, or seriousness.
Use utmost before a noun to intensify ideas such as care, importance, respect, secrecy, or seriousness.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| This issue is of the upmost importance. | This issue is of the utmost importance. |
| We handled the files with upmost care. | We handled the files with utmost care. |
| Please give this your utmost attention to detail. | Please give this your full attention. |
| The team showed an utmost respect. | The team showed the utmost respect. |
Use utmost for a distant edge or limit only in elevated or older-sounding prose. In ordinary writing, outermost or farthest is usually clearer.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The flag flew from the utmost window of the tower. | The flag flew from the uppermost window of the tower. |
| The climbers reached the utmost shelf of the cliff. | The climbers reached the topmost shelf of the cliff. |
| The village sat on the upmost point of the peninsula. | The village sat on the utmost point of the peninsula. |
| The utmost drawer held the spare keys. | The uppermost drawer held the spare keys. |
Use utmost as a noun mainly in patterns such as do one's utmost, try one's utmost, to the utmost, and the utmost in comfort.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| We did the utmost to help. | We did our utmost to help. |
| She tried the utmost to stay calm. | She tried her utmost to stay calm. |
| The hotel offers utmost in comfort. | The hotel offers the utmost in comfort. |
| He utmosted to finish the report. | He did his utmost to finish the report. |
Use utmost for maximum degree, importance, care, or effort. Use uppermost or topmost for literal height, and reserve the farthest-edge sense for formal prose.
upmost importance is the usual error. Write utmost importance for greatest importance, and use uppermost for something physically highest.
From Middle English utmost, an alteration of utmoste and outmost, from Old English ūtmest, meaning outermost. The degree sense developed by the early 1300s.
What does utmost mean?
Utmost means the greatest possible degree, amount, importance, or effort.
Is utmost an adjective or a noun?
Utmost is both. It is an adjective in utmost care and a noun in do your utmost.
What is the difference between utmost and upmost?
Utmost concerns the greatest degree or amount. Upmost is rare and means highest in position, where uppermost is usually clearer.
Is utmost importance correct?
Yes. Utmost importance means the greatest importance, and upmost importance is normally a mistake.
What does do your utmost mean?
Do your utmost means to make the best or strongest effort possible.
Can utmost mean farthest?
Yes. Utmost can mean farthest out or most distant, as in the utmost edge, though this use is formal.
Where does utmost come from?
Utmost comes from Old English ūtmest, built from an old word for out and a superlative ending.