nowhere

1 of 3

adverb

no·​where ˈnō-ˌ(h)wer 

-(h)wər

1

: not in or at any place

The book is nowhere to be found.

2

: to no place

I've gotten nowhere with my research.

Arguing will get us nowhere.

3

: not at all : not to the least extent

—usually used with near

nowhere near as serious

nowhere near enough

nowhere

2 of 3

noun

1

: a nonexistent place

2

: an unknown, distant, or obscure place or state

rose to fame out of nowhere

see also:

miles from nowhere

nowhere

3 of 3

adjective

: of or relating to a remote or relatively unknown location

a nowhere town

Synonyms of nowhere

Noun

• countryside
• country

Examples of nowhere in a Sentence

Adverb

I have nowhere to go.

Nowhere is there more of a population problem than in this city.

Noun

from the looks of things, we're stranded in nowhere and most likely its proverbial middle

in a few short years he rose out of nowhere to prominence in the tech industry

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Duncan said the city’s typical response to unsafe living conditions is to condemn properties, leaving tenants with nowhere to go. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026

The night sky has incredible depth, and there's nowhere better to learn how to appreciate that than when gazing at the Summer Triangle. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 24 July 2026

Noun

Aaron Nkrumah, wing, 6-5, Tennessee State My favorite total out-of-nowhere guy, Nkrumah is one of only four American college players to make my top 75 despite not playing in a Power 5 conference, and unlike the others, his alma mater isn’t even a mid-major. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Little Rock advances with an out-of-nowhere comeback that leads to an 85-83 double-overtime victory over Purdue in the first round of the NCAA tournament. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026

Adjective

Once a victim crosses a jurisdictional line, everything that happened on the other side of it too often gets lost in the nowhere land of bureaucracy and red tape. — Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026

Neighbors set up collection points, handed out food, drove the wounded to hospitals and opened their homes to people with nowhere left to go. — Cristina Guevara, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1889, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing nowhere

• come out of nowhere
• flattery will get you nowhere
• from nowhere
• From out of nowhere
• get nowhere
• going/getting nowhere fast
• going nowhere fast
• go nowhere
• in the middle of nowhere
• is nowhere to be found
• lead nowhere
• middle of nowhere
• miles from nowhere
• nowhere near
• nowhere to be found
• out of nowhere

Rhymes for nowhere

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

nowhere

1 of 2 adverb

no·​where ˈnō-ˌhwe(ə)r 

-ˌwe(ə)r, 

-ˌhwa(ə)r, 

-ˌwa(ə)r, 

-hwər, 

-wər

1

: not in or at any place

2

: to no place

3

: not at all : not to the least extent

—usually used with near

nowhere near enough

nowhere

2 of 2 noun

: a place that does not exist

sounds seeming to come from nowhere