there's no telling

Idioms  

1. It's impossible to determine, as in There's no telling how many children will come down with measles, or There's no telling what will happen in the next episode of that soap opera. This idiom uses telling in the sense of “reckoning,” a usage dating from the late 1300s.

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Example Sentences

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile, and there’s no telling whether the reserve gamble will end up being a net gain for taxpayers.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

From Seagate’s and Western Digital’s perspectives, there’s no telling when demand could slow or change, Klein said.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 26, 2025

And while both sides seem to be itching for a fight, there's no telling when, or how, this fight will end.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2025

Though even if Oliphant were still drawing today, there’s no telling how often or easily his work would be seen.

From Salon • Sep. 5, 2025

She tells me Kate has gone out to look for Theo and there’s no telling when she’ll be back.

From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven