We had no idea

USAGE SUMMARY

"We had no idea" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that you or someone else were not aware of something. For example, "We had no idea it would take so long to finish the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We had no idea.

The New York Times

"We had no idea what was coming").

The New York Times

"We had no idea of the storyline".

Independent

"We had no idea Qaddafi was there".

The New York Times

We had no idea until 2010.

The New York Times

We had no idea what to expect.

Independent

We had no idea to whom.

Independent

"We had no idea," she said.

The New York Times - Sports

"We had no idea about the trenches".

The New York Times

"We had no idea," he said.

The New Yorker

We had no idea, really.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "We had no idea" to express genuine surprise or lack of prior knowledge about a situation. It adds a personal touch and emphasizes the unexpected nature of the event.

Common error

While "We had no idea" is a useful phrase, avoid overusing it in your writing. Vary your language with synonyms like "we didn't realize" or "we were unaware" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "We had no idea" functions as a declarative statement expressing a lack of prior knowledge or understanding. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is frequently used to convey surprise or unawareness, like in the sentence 'We had no idea what was coming'.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Academia

12%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "We had no idea" is a grammatically sound and highly prevalent expression used to convey a lack of prior knowledge or surprise. As affirmed by Ludwig AI, it's appropriate for various contexts, including news reports, academic discussions, and business communications. While highly versatile, remember to vary your vocabulary and avoid overuse, perhaps employing alternatives such as "we were unaware" or "we didn't realize" to add nuance and prevent repetition. This phrase finds frequent usage in News & Media, Academia, and Formal & Business domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

We were completely unaware

Replaces "had no idea" with a stronger emphasis on being uninformed.

We didn't realize

A more straightforward way of saying that understanding came later.

We were oblivious

Suggests a lack of perception or attention to the situation.

We never suspected

Implies a lack of anticipation or expectation.

We failed to grasp

Focuses on the inability to understand or comprehend something.

It was beyond our comprehension

Emphasizes the difficulty in understanding or grasping the situation.

We were in the dark

Metaphorically suggests a lack of information or understanding.

We were caught by surprise

Highlights the unexpected nature of the event or information.

We were ignorant of

Indicates a lack of knowledge about a specific fact or situation.

We hadn't a clue

An informal expression for not knowing something.

FAQs

How can I use "We had no idea" in a sentence?

You can use "We had no idea" to express a lack of prior knowledge or surprise about something. For example, "We had no idea the project would become so complex."

What can I say instead of "We had no idea"?

You can use alternatives like "We were unaware", "We didn't realize", or "We were oblivious" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "We had no idea about that"?

Yes, it's perfectly acceptable. You can also say "We had no idea of that", although the former is more commonly used in contemporary English.

What's the difference between "We had no idea" and "We didn't suspect"?

"We had no idea" implies a complete lack of awareness, while "We didn't suspect" suggests that there was no reason to believe something was happening.