nowhere
NOH-weh-uh
Nowhere (adv) means not in, at, or to any place. Example: “The keys were nowhere to be found.”
adv
1
Not in, at, or to any place.
"We sat in traffic, going nowhere."
"The keys were nowhere to be found."
"We drove for hours and ended up nowhere near the campsite."
"Nowhere did the rules say anything about popcorn."
"There was nowhere to sit on the crowded train, so we stood."
"The keys are nowhere in the house."
How to use nowhere
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot anywhere at all — no place fits.
Common pairings
nowhere to be found
nowhere near
in the middle of nowhere
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Word forms
- Plural
- nowheres
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The keys were _____ to be found.
Etymology
From Old English nōhwǣr, a fusion of "no" and "where."
Synonyms
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no place
not anywhere
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for nowhere
See all rhymes for nowhere →Frequently asked questions
What does “nowhere” mean?
The word “nowhere” means not in, at, or to any place. In plain terms, not anywhere at all — no place fits.
How do you pronounce “nowhere”?
“Nowhere” is pronounced NOH-weh-uh (/ˈnoʊ.(h)wɛɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “nowhere” in a sentence?
Here is “nowhere” used in a sentence: “The keys were nowhere to be found.”
What is the opposite of “nowhere”?
The opposite of “nowhere” — its antonyms — is everywhere.
What part of speech is “nowhere”?
“Nowhere” is an adverb.
Where does the word “nowhere” come from?
The word “nowhere” comes from Old English. From Old English nōhwǣr, a fusion of "no" and "where.".
Is “nowhere” a common word?
“Nowhere” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between nowhere and anywhere?
'Nowhere' means in or to no place at all, giving a negative sense on its own: 'It was nowhere to be found.' 'Anywhere' means in or to any place, and usually appears in questions or after a negative: 'I can't find it anywhere.' One denies a place, the other opens up all places.
What is the opposite of nowhere?
The clearest opposite is 'everywhere,' meaning in or to all places, the exact reverse of no place at all. 'Somewhere,' meaning in or to an unspecified place, is also an opposite in the sense that it affirms a location where 'nowhere' denies one.
What does 'in the middle of nowhere' mean?
It is a common expression for a remote, isolated spot far from towns, people, or anything familiar. Somewhere 'in the middle of nowhere' feels cut off, with little around it. The phrase exaggerates: the place clearly exists, but it seems so distant that it might as well be no place at all.
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