nowhere

/ˈnəʊweə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · [nˈowˌɛr] /ˈnəʊwer/ (ame, ipa) · [nˈowˌɛr] /ˈnō-ˌ(h)wer -(h)wər/ (ame, mw)

nowhere — 副詞

1. used to say that something is not present in any place, or that a person or thin

1.副詞B1
釋義

無處

不在任何地方

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.

例句

Obi searched the whole house for his phone, but it was nowhere to be found.

Obi 找遍了整間房子找手機，但哪裡都找不到。

nowhere to be found — passive pattern

Tamar looked for a café, but there was nowhere to sit and read in peace.

Tamar 想找家安靜的咖啡館，但附近沒有地方可以坐下來好好閱讀。

there + be + nowhere + to-infinitive

同義詞
  • not anywhere

    less common in everyday speech; 'nowhere' is more emphatic and compact

  • in no place

    formal or literary tone, rarely used in conversation

反義詞
  • 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

❌I looked for my bag, but it was anywhere.
✅I looked for my bag, but it was nowhere to be found.
💡'nowhere' is itself a negation; do not add 'not' or 'anywhere' alongside it.

2. used after verbs like 'get' or 'lead' to describe a situation where no progress

2.副詞B2
釋義

毫無進展

沒有成功或進展

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.

例句

Daichi argued with his supervisor for an hour, but got nowhere with his request.

Daichi 跟上司爭論了一個小時，但他的請求毫無進展。

get + nowhere + with + [person / topic]

All their careful planning led nowhere because the investor pulled out at the last moment.

他們所有的縝密規劃都化為烏有，因為投資人在最後一刻抽身了。

lead + nowhere — complete lack of result

同義詞
  • 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')

反義詞

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

❌I tried to solve the problem but I got no progress.
✅I tried to solve the problem but I got nowhere.
💡Use 'nowhere' directly after 'get'; do not replace it with 'no progress' or add extra nouns.

3. used before 'near' or a comparative structure to strongly emphasise that somethi

3.副詞B2
釋義

差得遠

差得遠；完全不

used before 'near' or a comparative structure to strongly emphasise that something is not at all close to a particular state, amount, or quality.

例句

The math test was nowhere near as difficult as the students had expected.

數學測驗遠遠沒有學生們想像的那麼難。

nowhere near as [adjective] as — comparative emphasis

Reema's new apartment is nowhere near ready for her to move in next week.

Reema 的新公寓離下週可以搬進去住還差得遠。

nowhere near [adjective] — state not yet reached

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • nearly

    close to reaching a state or amount — directly opposite meaning

  • almost

    very close to a particular state

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').

常見錯誤

❌The project is nowhere finish.
✅The project is nowhere near finished.
💡The word 'near' must always be present after 'nowhere' in this sense.