You’re writing an email and you want to tell someone their privacy matters to you. You type “with the upmost respect”, stop, and wonder if it should be utmost.
It should. Here’s the short version.
Use “utmost” for degree: the greatest, the most extreme. Upmost is a rare word for “highest in position,” and it’s almost never what you need.
The rest of this post explains why the mix-up happens and gives you a test that works every time.
The 10-second answer
| You mean… | Write |
|---|---|
| The greatest possible degree (importance, care, respect, effort) | utmost |
| Do everything you can | do your utmost |
| The physically highest spot | uppermost (or topmost); upmost is a rare variant |
Merriam-Webster puts it plainly: upmost is an error when used to mean “greatest”. If you’re describing importance, effort or respect, the word is utmost.
The swap test
When you can’t decide, try swapping in a plain word:
- Does “greatest” fit? → utmost
- Does “topmost” or “highest up” fit? → upmost, though uppermost is the safer choice
Try it on the classic mistake:
- “This is of the ______ importance.” → greatest importance → utmost ✅
- “The ______ shelf was out of reach.” → topmost shelf → uppermost (or upmost, if you must)
Nearly every sentence in real life passes the first test.
Why does everyone mix them up?
There are a few reasons, and none of them mean you’re careless.
1. “Up” feels right for the highest degree. We talk about the highest priority, the top concern, going all out. So “up” seems like it belongs.
Merriam-Webster points out that “up” is a much more familiar sound than “ut”, which is part of why people hear one word as the other.
2. The words look and sound alike. One letter differs, and in fast speech they blur.
3. The meanings overlap a little. Dictionary.com notes that upmost can sometimes mean highest in rank or order, as in something being uppermost among your concerns. That is the sense closest to utmost, so the overlap is real, even though utmost is the right choice for importance.
4. Professional writers make the mistake too. Bryan Garner’s usage notes collect newspaper examples of “upmost importance” and “upmost respect” from both US and British papers.
So this isn’t a regional quirk, and it isn’t only an American slip. (Those examples are from 2000, so it’s an old habit rather than a new one.)
The real reason it’s “utmost”
This is the part most guides skip, so it’s worth a minute.
Utmost has nothing to do with the word “up”. It comes from an old word meaning “outermost”: out plus a superlative ending.
So the original idea was “the farthest out you can go”, the most extreme point. Over time that widened to “the greatest degree.”
That’s why you’ll still see the literal sense in phrases like the utmost regions of the land. The Australian Writers’ Centre explains this history, though its dating of it needs a quick check against a dictionary before you repeat it.
The useful takeaway is a memory hook:
Utmost = out-most. The farthest you can go. Think out, not up.
One warning: you’ll see a tip that the “t” in utmost stands for “top”. Skip it. It sends you the wrong way, because utmost isn’t about “top” at all.
Meet the “-most” family
Both words end in -most, which is a superlative ending. A few relatives may help the pattern stick:
| Word | Roughly means |
|---|---|
| Utmost | greatest in degree; farthest out |
| Uppermost | highest in position (or first in importance) |
| Topmost | at the very top |
| Outermost | farthest from the centre |
| Innermost | closest to the centre |
| Foremost | first or leading |
Notice that uppermost is the word you probably wanted when you reached for upmost. I’d verify the exact entries in a dictionary before publishing, but the pattern is a good one to know.
Bonus relative: uttermost is a variant of utmost with the same meaning. I’m mentioning it from general knowledge, so check it before you use it.
So is “upmost” even a word?
Yes, but a rare one. Dictionaries treat it as a less common variant of uppermost.
Different guides describe it in different ways: as old-fashioned, informal, or simply a variant. Grammarist calls it almost archaic. The safest reading is that it exists but that you rarely need it.
It does turn up in technical writing. Grammarist quotes a door-control standard that refers to the “full upmost position”. That’s a literal, positional use, which is exactly where upmost belongs.
A practical rule: if you mean the highest physical spot, use uppermost or topmost. Dictionary.com notes that people are far more likely to say the uppermost floor or the top floor anyway.
“Uppermost in my mind” vs “utmost importance”
Some sentences sit right on the border:
- “Safety is of the utmost importance.” ✅ importance to the greatest degree
- “Safety is uppermost in my mind.” ✅ it’s at the top of my concerns
- “Safety is of the upmost importance.” ❌ the common mistake
The first two are both fine, and they say slightly different things. One measures degree, the other measures position in your thoughts. If you want the classic phrase, use utmost.
The utmost phrase bank
These are the phrases you’ll use most, all with utmost:
| Phrase | Example |
|---|---|
| of the utmost importance | Accuracy is of the utmost importance. |
| the utmost respect | I have the utmost respect for her. |
| the utmost care | Handle the samples with the utmost care. |
| the utmost priority | Your safety is our utmost priority. |
| the utmost confidence | We have the utmost confidence in the team. |
| the utmost sincerity | She spoke with the utmost sincerity. |
| do your utmost | We’ll do our utmost to help. |
| to the utmost of your ability | I’ll help to the utmost of my ability. |
“Of the utmost” or “of utmost”?
You’ll see both. The examples in Merriam-Webster and Writing Explained use “the utmost” (of the utmost importance), and that’s the more traditional form. Dropping “the” (of utmost importance) also appears in print. If you want the safest choice, keep the “the”.
Utmost as a noun
It can also be a noun, most often in the phrases above. In do your utmost, the word means “the most you’re able to do”, and Grammar Monster and EasyBib both note this noun use.
Is this a US vs UK thing?
No. Grammar Monster says the two words have nothing to do with US and UK conventions, and Garner’s examples show the mistake in a British newspaper as well as American ones. The rule is the same everywhere: utmost for degree.
Where you’ll want to get this right
This mistake tends to appear in high-stakes writing, which is why it’s worth catching:
- Cover letters and CVs: “I have the utmost respect for your company.”
- Customer emails: “We treat your data with the utmost confidentiality.”
- Speeches and toasts: “With the utmost gratitude…”
- Apologies and formal notices: “We take this matter with the utmost seriousness.”
A quick way to protect yourself is to search your draft for “upmost” before sending. Almost every hit should become utmost.
Example sentences
Correct
- It is of the utmost importance that we finish today.
- She treated the guests with the utmost care.
- I’ll do my utmost to be there.
- He tried his utmost to stay calm.
Common mistakes
- ❌ We take this with the upmost seriousness. → utmost
- ❌ That is of upmost importance. → utmost
- ❌ I did my upmost. → utmost
Where upmost or uppermost fits
- Store the fragile items on the uppermost shelf.
- The upmost layer of the box held the lightest items.
Quick quiz
Pick the best word for each sentence.
- Your privacy is of the ______ importance to us. (utmost / upmost)
- I’ll do my ______ to help. (utmost / upmost)
- Put the fragile vase on the ______ shelf. (utmost / uppermost)
- She spoke with the ______ respect. (utmost / upmost)
- Safety is ______ in our minds. (utmost / uppermost)
- We have the ______ confidence in you. (utmost / upmost)
Answers
- utmost
- utmost
- uppermost (upmost is possible but rare)
- utmost
- uppermost (position in your thoughts; “of utmost importance” would also work in a differently worded sentence)
- utmost
FAQs
Is it upmost or utmost importance?
Utmost importance. It means importance to the greatest degree.
Is upmost a word?
Yes, but rarely. It’s a less common variant of uppermost, meaning highest in position.
What does utmost mean?
The greatest possible degree, or the most extreme. It can also be a noun, as in do your utmost.
Is it “utmost respect” or “upmost respect”?
Utmost respect.
Is it “of the utmost” or “of utmost”?
Both appear, and of the utmost is the more traditional form.
Is utmost a UK or US spelling?
Neither. It’s the same everywhere.
What’s a good alternative to utmost?
Greatest, maximum, highest, paramount or extreme, depending on the sentence.
How do I remember which is which?
Think out-most for utmost, the farthest you can go. And if you mean the physical top, use uppermost.
The takeaway
If you’re talking about importance, respect, care, effort or priority, write utmost.
If you mean the highest physical spot, reach for uppermost or topmost. Upmost is a real word, but you’ll almost never need it.
Do your utmost with this one, and you’ll only make the mistake by accident.
Read More:
Hi, I’m Safdar Ali, an English language teacher with 26 years of teaching experience. My expertise is in English linguistics, grammar, and the differences between British and American English.
Through Gramiffy, I share practical, research-based guides to help students, writers, and English learners improve their language skills. My goal is to make English simple, accurate, and easy for everyone to understand.
