Turning up nothing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Turning up nothing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation where an effort to find or discover something has resulted in no findings or outcomes. Example: "After hours of searching the archives, we ended up turning up nothing of significance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

But with every piece that gets sifted, turning up nothing, a little hope flutters away.

The New York Times

The shadow home secretary said random stop and search had poisoned relations between the police and local communities, hampering efforts to gather intelligence and solve major crimes, while mostly turning up nothing but small amounts of drugs for personal use.

The Guardian

With the focus of sea gulls devouring delicacies from the trash, we plowed through several homes, dismissing them as too this or too that and turning up nothing that suited our Platonic Hamptonian ideal.

The New York Times - Style

Instead, money has gone down a million rabbit holes, dead-ending at a million cul de sacs and turning up nothing useful.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

An engineering and structural study "turned up nothing", according to the mall manager.

Wikipedia

It turns up nothing.

The Guardian - Tech

A frantic hunt turned up nothing.

The New York Times

The search turned up nothing.

The Washington Post

But those early searches turned up nothing.

The Washington Post

The first one turns up nothing.

The Washington Post

A quick search, however, turned up nothing.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "turning up nothing", ensure that the context clearly indicates what the search or investigation was intended to find. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "turning up nothing" when there was no specific expectation of finding something. This phrase implies a directed search or investigation, not a general lack of results.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "turning up nothing" functions as a gerund phrase, often acting as a noun within a sentence. It describes the outcome of a search or investigation that yielded no results, as shown in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "turning up nothing" is a grammatically sound gerund phrase used to describe the lack of success in a search or investigation. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While relatively rare, the phrase appears in diverse contexts, most frequently in news and media. Consider related phrases like ""yielding no results"" or ""finding nothing"" to achieve similar communicative purposes with potentially different stylistic nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Yielding no results

Focuses on the lack of outcome from an action or process.

Finding nothing

A more direct and simple way of saying nothing was discovered.

Coming up empty

An idiomatic expression suggesting a lack of success in a search.

Producing no findings

Emphasizes the absence of concrete data or conclusions.

Unearthing nothing

Suggests a careful or deliberate search that still found nothing.

Returning no data

Often used in technical contexts to describe a query that found no matches.

Proving fruitless

Highlights the unsuccessful nature of an endeavor or attempt.

Bearing no fruit

A metaphorical expression indicating a lack of positive results.

Revealing nothing

Emphasizes the absence of any information being disclosed or discovered.

Amounting to zero

Suggests that all efforts ultimately led to no tangible outcome.

FAQs

How can I use "turning up nothing" in a sentence?

You can use "turning up nothing" to describe a fruitless search, as in "The investigation into the missing funds ended up "turning up nothing"."

What are some alternatives to saying "turning up nothing"?

Alternatives include "yielding no results", "finding nothing", or "coming up empty", depending on the context.

Is "turning up nothing" grammatically correct?

Yes, "turning up nothing" is grammatically correct as a gerund phrase functioning as a noun, typically used as part of a clause or sentence.

What does "turning up nothing" imply about the effort involved?

"Turning up nothing" suggests that some effort was expended in a search or investigation, but without success. It implies a directed attempt to find or discover something.