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out of nowhere

Idioms  
  1. Suddenly, unexpectedly, as in That anonymous letter turned up out of nowhere. It is often put as come out of nowhere, as in Their team came out of nowhere and won the state championship. This term uses out of in the sense of “from,” and nowhere in the sense of “an unknown place.” For a synonym, see out of a clear blue sky.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But if you were following the band, you’ll remember how it seemed to arrive out of nowhere, at the end of two years of touring, including the 1996 Lollapalooza outing.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

The rise in volatility didn’t come out of nowhere.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

"The methylation seemingly appeared out of nowhere," says Feinberg.

From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026

Eyewitness Molly Firman said "out of nowhere" staff and security started screaming "you need to get out now".

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

It seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, like boogers often do.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds

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