nowhere

1 of 3

adverb

no·​where ˈnō-ˌ(h)wer How to pronounce nowhere (audio)
-(h)wər
Synonyms of nowhere
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

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
One day while sitting on the porch, Sarah appeared out of nowhere, running towards them, shouting for them. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 3 July 2026 With nowhere to take the program but up, Turgeon and his son Will, who joined his father as an assistant coach, hit the recruiting trail. — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
Noun
Most of us have plenty of time on our hands and nowhere to go. — Michelle Krupa, CNN, 29 Mar. 2020 Here's why the bassist moved to this 'middle of nowhere' Arizona town. — Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Now cruise ships are adding this nowhere-place to their itineraries. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 30 May 2026 Southerners believe that burning ears out of nowhere means that someone is talking about you. — Abby Fribush, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nowhere

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of nowhere was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing nowhere

Rhymes for nowhere

See All Rhymes for nowhere

Browse Nearby Words

nowel
nowhere
nowhere near
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nowhere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nowhere. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nowhere

1 of 2 adverb
no·​where ˈnō-ˌhwe(ə)r How to pronounce nowhere (audio)
-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

More from Merriam-Webster on nowhere

Nglish: Translation of nowhere for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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