'Nowhere' or 'No Where': Which is Correct?

By Carly Forsaith, updated on October 12, 2022

If you're wondering how to spell this common word - 'nowhere' or 'no where' this article will give you the answer you're looking for.

And good news! The answer is simple, as there's only one correct answer. And that is: 'nowhere,' one word.

Is It 'Nowhere' or 'No Where'?

So what does the word even mean? Let's look into the definition of the word and how to use it.

'Nowhere' Definition

'Nowhere' isn't the only word that carries some confusion as to whether it should be spelled as one word or two. Some other words like that are:

The term is used when we mean no place, somewhere nonexistent. But depending on how you use it, it will qualify as a noun, adverb, or adjective.

Here's an example sentence where the word takes on the role of a noun:

That car came out of nowhere. It's a little dangerous!

Here's what it would look like as an adverb:

There's nowhere to hide.
Nowhere does it say you have to take your shoes off.
We're getting nowhere right now.

And finally, as an adjective:

I come from a nowhere town; I'm sure you've never heard of it.
This is a nowhere job if I've ever seen one.

Common Sayings

Some common sayings use the word 'nowhere,' so I'm going to showcase some of these so that you can better understand the meaning of the word and how to use it in context.

Nowhere Near

I have to present this project in two hours, and I'm nowhere near ready.

This is the same as saying not at all ready. The speaker feels completely unprepared for the presentation and probably wishes they had more time to prepare.

Going Nowhere

I think we should try something else; we're going nowhere with this strategy.

You might interpret this sentence as meaning that the strategy isn't amounting to anything. Nothing is coming of it. It's a dead end.

Out of Nowhere

I was just walking along when this black cat jumped at me out of nowhere!

In this sentence, the speaker is explaining that the cat wasn't in sight and then suddenly appeared, as if by magic.

Middle of Nowhere

Can you help? I've broken down in the middle of nowhere.

This saying is used to refer to somewhere very remote. The speaker might have broken down a long road in the middle of the countryside or in a small village that isn't on the map.

Road to Nowhere

We're on a road to nowhere if we carry on this way.

It's a situation that isn't going to lead to anything good or achieve anything. It's a dead end. You could also say, "This is leading us nowhere."

Concluding Thoughts on Using 'Nowhere' or 'No Where'

I hope this article has helped clear up the confusion around whether 'nowhere' should be one or two words.

It should always be one word, as 'no' and 'where' will always be used together in a sentence. Separately, each word means something different.

You'll never see it spelled 'no where.'

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Written By:
Carly Forsaith
Carly Forsaith is one of the lead freelance writers for WritingTips.org. Carly is a copywriter who has been writing about the English language for over 3 years. Before that, she was a teacher in Thailand, helping people learn English as a second language. She is a total grammar nerd and spends her time spotting language errors on signs and on the internet.

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