out of nowhere

Examples

• All

• And then yesterday, out of nowhere, Newsom tweets.

• For many people, this new line of assault seemed to have come out of nowhere, and perhaps it had.

  Academic text (2011)

• But then, out of nowhere, came this post.

  Johnny Harris

• Sometimes you make some money out of nowhere, right?

  The 85 South Comedy Show

• Now out of nowhere, a guy comes in front of me.

  The BlueTick Show

• A sudden turn, a drop in the road, and out of nowhere we're up against the church and the river.

  Academic text (2012)

• But sometimes life just out of nowhere starts swinging on you.

• And one day, out of nowhere, I'm in bed.

• Everything seems fine, then out of nowhere she bursts into tears.

  Fiction book (1993)

• You've seen a flu epidemic pop up out of nowhere, right?

  FLAGRANT

Synonyms

S

suddenly

vsout of nowhere

∞ 1.0

Quickly and without warning

focuses on surprise timing rather than only speed of occurrence

O

of a sudden

vsout of nowhere

• Informal

743 7.1

Happens quickly and without warning

is the everyday expression for something happening without warning

A

all of a sudden

vsout of nowhere

• Informal

737 2.7

Very quickly and without warning

is more idiomatic and broadly used for sudden events

J

just like that

vsout of nowhere

• Informal

199 4.2

Happens suddenly without warning or effort

is more neutral and does not imply casualness or effort

O

out of the blue

vsout of nowhere

• Informal

111 3.4

Something happens suddenly and without warning

is a general way to say something happens without warning

A

abruptly

vsout of nowhere

108 3.3

In a sudden way that gives no warning

is more neutral and simply marks lack of warning

U

unexpectedly

vsout of nowhere

91 2.3

Happening without any warning

expresses the same unexpectedness but as a fixed phrase

F

from nowhere

vsout of nowhere

33 4.1

Suddenly and without any warning

is the common phrase for events that occur without warning

O

out of thin air

vsout of nowhere

28 5.8

Suddenly with no clear reason, like magic

is similar but avoids implying mysterious or magical origins

U

unawares

vsout of nowhere

8 7.2

Happens suddenly without you expecting it

names unexpected events from the viewpoint of surprise rather than lack of awareness

O

out of the hat

vsout of nowhere

4 7.1

To appear suddenly as a surprising solution or idea

is the broader phrase for unexpected events, not just surprising ideas

F

from left field

vsout of nowhere

• Informal

2 8.0

In a way that is not expected

is the neutral term for something happening without prior warning

Antonyms

E

expected

654 1.2

Likely to happen or be true

F

foreseeable

51 4.3

Likely to happen in the near future

How Unexpected

unexpected

394 2.5

out of nowhere

194 4.2

surprising

489 1.8

expected

654 1.2

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology