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.

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Example Sentences

“Mother Mary” is as hair-raising as it is eyebrow-raising, all spectral senselessness until, out of nowhere, the eeriness gives way to a startling profundity as the film explores remorse with biblical repercussions.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026

This season City have had some really strange results from out of nowhere, against teams you would not expect.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

This decline in trust “did not come out of nowhere, nor did it happen overnight,” McInnis wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

If you’re tapped into conversations around Israel online, you may have noticed a certain blond woman who, seemingly out of nowhere, has started popping up all over social media.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

“He came out of nowhere and crashed into me. And I was at fifty-six minutes of Hula-Hooping.”

From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan