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

But they’re also malleable; there’s no telling what might affect them, or what a child might carry with them throughout their life.

From Salon • Nov. 5, 2025

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

If I breathe too loudly, there’s no telling what the darkness will do to me or to Violet or to anyone I love.

From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven