nowhere
/ˈnəʊweə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [nˈowˌɛr] /ˈnəʊwer/ (ame, ipa) · [nˈowˌɛr] /ˈnō-ˌ(h)wer -(h)wər/ (ame, mw)
nowhere — adverb
1. used to say that something is not present in any place, or that a person or thin
used to say that something is not present in any place, or that a person or thing cannot be located or found anywhere at all.
Obi searched the whole house for his phone, but it was nowhere to be found.
nowhere to be found — passive pattern
Tamar looked for a café, but there was nowhere to sit and read in peace.
there + be + nowhere + to-infinitive
The nearest petrol station was nowhere within thirty kilometres of their village.
Paloma had nowhere to hide from the rain, so she ran under a large tree.
- not anywhere
less common in everyday speech; 'nowhere' is more emphatic and compact
- in no place
formal or literary tone, rarely used in conversation
- everywhere
in or to every place — the direct opposite of the spatial sense
文法句型
nowhere + to-infinitive
nowhere + to be found / to be seen
用法筆記
Frequently used in the fixed phrases 'nowhere to be found' and 'nowhere to be seen', which mean that something is impossible to locate. Also common in the existential construction 'there is/was nowhere (for someone) to [verb]'.
常見錯誤
2. used after verbs like 'get' or 'lead' to describe a situation where no progress
used after verbs like 'get' or 'lead' to describe a situation where no progress or positive result is achieved, no matter how much effort is made.
Daichi argued with his supervisor for an hour, but got nowhere with his request.
get + nowhere + with + [person / topic]
All their careful planning led nowhere because the investor pulled out at the last moment.
lead + nowhere — complete lack of result
Alessia tried to fix the broken printer herself, but got nowhere without a manual.
Theo's attempt to negotiate led nowhere when the seller refused to lower the price.
- make no progress
more literal and slightly more formal than 'get nowhere'
- fail to advance
formal register, common in written reports
- to no avail
adverbial phrase, more literary; often ends a sentence ('…but to no avail')
- make progress
achieve forward movement or positive results
- get somewhere
informal opposite of 'get nowhere'
文法句型
get + nowhere
get + nowhere + with + noun
lead + nowhere
用法筆記
This sense only occurs in specific verb+nowhere constructions. The most common are 'get nowhere' (make no progress) and 'lead nowhere' (produce no result). 'Get nowhere fast' is an informal idiomatic variant that adds emphasis. Subject is usually a person with 'get' and a plan or effort with 'lead'.
常見錯誤
3. used before 'near' or a comparative structure to strongly emphasise that somethi
used before 'near' or a comparative structure to strongly emphasise that something is not at all close to a particular state, amount, or quality.
The math test was nowhere near as difficult as the students had expected.
nowhere near as [adjective] as — comparative emphasis
Reema's new apartment is nowhere near ready for her to move in next week.
nowhere near [adjective] — state not yet reached
Harper sings well, though her voice is nowhere near as powerful as her sister's.
Omar's running time was nowhere near the record, but he was still proud of his effort.
- far from
nearly synonymous but slightly less emphatic; can also be used literally for distance
- not at all
general-purpose negation; less specific to degree comparisons
- not nearly
similar meaning but typically used before 'as…as' structures rather than before adjectives
文法句型
nowhere + near + noun
nowhere + near + adjective
nowhere + near + as + adjective + as
用法筆記
Always followed by 'near' — the phrase is 'nowhere near', not just 'nowhere'. Frequently used with 'as…as' comparative structures ('nowhere near as big as') and with adjectives indicating readiness or completion ('nowhere near ready', 'nowhere near finished').