nowhere
gb/nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/ us/nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
A2
English
~ 9400
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A2
relation
1
in or to no place
Not in any place; in no place at all.
Usage pattern:
have nowhere to [verb]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"I don't have where to go"* instead of the correct *"I have nowhere to go"*. They may also confuse *"nowhere"* with *"anywhere";* remember that *"nowhere"* is negative, while *"anywhere"* is usually used in questions and negatives with another negative word ("I don't go anywhere").
Synonyms
not anywhere (More explicit negative phrase, slightly longer and less idiomatic than "nowhere".)
Antonyms
somewhere (Indicates that at least one place exists, the opposite of there being no place.)
Collocations
nowhere to go
|nowhere to live
|nowhere to be found
|came from nowhere
|appeared from nowhere
|in the middle of nowhere
Themes
daily life
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I have nowhere to go tonight.
- The keys are nowhere to be found.
- She felt like she belonged nowhere.
- Their village was so small it was almost nowhere on the map.
- The dog ran off and then appeared from nowhere behind us.
Learner examples
- I have nowhere to sit.
- The book is nowhere in my room.
- He has nowhere to park his car.
- We got lost and ended up in nowhere.
- My phone is nowhere; I think I lost it.
adverb
B1
state
2
making no progress or success
Used to say that something is not moving forward or will not be successful.
Usage pattern:
[plan/activity] is going nowhere
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the literal place meaning with this one and translate it too literally. In sentences like *"My career is going nowhere"*, *"nowhere"* does not mean a physical place; it means there is no progress or future. Also, avoid adding an extra negative: not *"My career is not going nowhere"* (which sounds like a double negative), but *"My career is going nowhere"* or *"My career is not going anywhere"*.
Synonyms
stalled (Emphasizes that something has stopped moving forward, often more technical or formal in tone.)
Antonyms
going somewhere (Informal phrase meaning that something has clear progress or future success, the opposite of staying at the same level.)
Collocations
go nowhere
|get nowhere
|lead nowhere
|career is going nowhere
|relationship is going nowhere
|talks are going nowhere
Themes
work
|goals
|relationships
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The negotiations are going nowhere, and both sides are frustrated.
- I feel like my career is going nowhere in this company.
- Their relationship was going nowhere, so they decided to break up.
- This project is leading nowhere; we need a new plan.
- All my studying methods were getting me nowhere until I hired a tutor.
Learner examples
- The meeting was going nowhere, so we stopped it early.
- I feel my English is going nowhere without practice.
- This plan will go nowhere if we don't have money.
- The talks were going nowhere, and everyone was tired.
- His job is going nowhere, and he wants to change it.
adverb
B2
property
3
not at all close in degree
Used in comparisons to mean something is very far from the right amount, level, or standard; not close at all.
Usage pattern:
nowhere near [amount/level]
Common mistake:
Learners often forget that *"nowhere"* in *"nowhere near"* is an intensifier of degree, not about physical place. They may also say *"not nowhere near"* (double negative); the correct form is simply *"nowhere near"* or *"not nearly"*.
Synonyms
not at all (General negative of degree; does not carry the strong idea of "far from the needed level" that *"nowhere"* has in comparisons.)
Antonyms
almost (Suggests being very close to a target or level, the opposite of being far from it.)
Collocations
nowhere near enough
|nowhere near ready
|nowhere near finished
|nowhere near as good
|nowhere near the target
|nowhere close to
Themes
comparison
|degree
|emphasis
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- This is nowhere near enough money to buy a car.
- We're nowhere near finished with the report.
- He's nowhere near as fast as his older brother.
- The city is nowhere near as big as I expected.
- Their offer is nowhere close to what we asked for.
Learner examples
- This room is nowhere near clean.
- My English is nowhere near perfect.
- The movie was nowhere near as good as the book.
- We are nowhere near done with our homework.
- The bus is nowhere near the station yet.
Grammar
Dictionary form
nowhere
IPA
GB/nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
US/nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
Syllables & stress
nowhere (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (nowhere)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: nowhere
- Plural: nowheres
Word family
Forms
nowheres
noun
Core family
Expressions
come out of nowhere
1/kˈʌm ˈaʊt əv nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
idiom
appear or succeed very suddenly
To appear or become successful very suddenly and without people expecting it.
Examples
- The small startup came out of nowhere and became a market leader.
- The runner came out of nowhere to win the race.
- That idea seemed to come out of nowhere, but it solved our problem.
get nowhere
1/ɡˈɛt nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
idiom
make no progress at all
To make no progress in what you are trying to do.
Examples
- We're getting nowhere with this argument.
- I called customer service three times and still got nowhere.
- You'll get nowhere if you keep doing it this way.
go nowhere
1/ɡˈoʊ nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
idiom
fail to progress or succeed
To not make any progress or have any real success, especially over a period of time.
Examples
- The project went nowhere because they never agreed on a budget.
- If you never practice, your skills will go nowhere.
- Their plan to start a business went nowhere after they lost funding.
going nowhere fast
1/ɡˈoʊɪŋ nˈoʊwˌɛɹ fˈæst/
idiom
informal
no progress despite effort
Spending time and energy but still not making progress or getting results.
Examples
- Our marketing plan is going nowhere fast; we need a new idea.
- This conversation is going nowhere fast, so let's change the subject.
- The team is going nowhere fast without a good leader.
lead nowhere
1/lˈid nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
fixed phrase
result in no useful outcome
To result in nothing helpful or successful.
Examples
- Their long discussion led nowhere.
- He realized the path he was on would lead nowhere.
- Arguing about this will lead nowhere; let's look for a solution instead.
nowhere in sight
1/nˈoʊwˌɛɹ ˈɪn sˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
not visible or coming soon
Not visible and not likely to appear soon.
Examples
- Food was nowhere in sight after the long hike.
- The end of the traffic jam was nowhere in sight.
- With the deadline close and a solution nowhere in sight, everyone was stressed.
nowhere near
1/nˈoʊwˌɛɹ nˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
far from a certain level
Used to say that something is not even close to a certain amount, level, or standard.
Examples
- This house is nowhere near affordable for us.
- We are nowhere near finished with the project.
- He's nowhere near as tall as his father.
nowhere to be found
1/nˈoʊwˌɛɹ tə bˈi fˈaʊnd/
fixed phrase
cannot be found anywhere
Used to say that you cannot find something or someone anywhere, even after looking.
Examples
- My wallet was nowhere to be found after the party.
- The document is nowhere to be found on the server.
- We searched the whole house, but the cat was nowhere to be found.
nowhere to be seen
1/nˈoʊwˌɛɹ tə bˈi sˈin/
fixed phrase
not visible anywhere
Used to say that you cannot see someone or something anywhere.
Examples
- We waited for an hour, but the bus was nowhere to be seen.
- The manager was nowhere to be seen when the problem started.
- When the rain began, people were suddenly nowhere to be seen on the beach.
out of nowhere
1/ˈaʊt əv nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
idiom
suddenly and unexpectedly
Suddenly and without warning, in a way that surprises people.
Examples
- A car came out of nowhere and almost hit us.
- The storm seemed to appear out of nowhere.
- That new singer came out of nowhere and is now number one on the charts.
in the middle of nowhere
1/ˈɪn ðə mˈɪdəl əv nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
idiom
informal
far from towns or cities
In a place that is far away from towns or cities and where there are few people or buildings.
Examples
- We got lost and ended up in the middle of nowhere.
- The cabin is in the middle of nowhere, perfect for a quiet holiday.
in the middle of nowhere
2/ˈɪn ðə mˈɪdəl əv nˈoʊwˌɛɹ/
idiom
in a very remote place
In a place that is very far from towns, cities, or other people and things.
Examples
- They broke down in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal.
- My grandparents live in the middle of nowhere, miles from the nearest shop.
- We found a small café in the middle of nowhere, and the food was amazing.