nothing turned up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "nothing turned up" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate that no results or findings were discovered during a search or inquiry. Example: "I searched the entire database for the missing files, but unfortunately, nothing turned up."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Nothing turned up.

Science Magazine

But nothing turned up.

The New York Times - Magazine

Nothing turned up positive.

The New York Times - Health

But this time nothing turned up.

The Guardian - Opinion

On Day 71 of the Hunt for Iraqi W.M.D., yesterday, once again nothing turned up.

The New York Times

Before publishing the photos, The Times tried to find their source using Google's image search function, but nothing turned up.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

"You see it all around you, all the people out of work, and there's nothing turning up," he said.

The New York Times

"Type 'third sector leadership' into an academic database and almost nothing turns up," he says.

The Guardian

If nothing turns up in the next few Months, Dr. Lees may try to set up a private consulting service.

The New York Times

And nothing turns up the dial on our insecurity like viewing our communications, and ourselves, as mere numbers.

The New Yorker

And if you haven't paid and nothing turns up you can walk away from the deal without penalty.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "nothing turned up" to concisely convey that a search, investigation, or effort produced no results. It is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "nothing turned up" when describing an ongoing process of actively finding something. This phrase indicates a concluded search with no results, not a present action of discovery.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nothing turned up" functions as an idiomatic expression to indicate the absence of a discovery or finding. As Ludwig AI indicates, the expression is correct and usable in written English. Examples show usage in contexts ranging from investigations to searches.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

21%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "nothing turned up" is a commonly used and grammatically correct way to express that a search or investigation yielded no results. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a valid expression suitable for a variety of contexts. It appears frequently in "News & Media", science, and academic writing, maintaining a neutral register. While there are several alternative phrases, like "no results were found" or "nothing was discovered", the original idiom is concise and widely understood. When using it, remember that it implies a completed search, not an ongoing discovery process.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

no results were found

Replaces the idiomatic "turned up" with the more direct "were found".

nothing was discovered

Emphasizes the lack of discovery with a passive voice.

the search yielded nothing

Uses "yielded" to indicate the search's failure to produce results.

no evidence surfaced

Implies a lack of evidence being revealed or discovered.

the investigation found no leads

Specifically refers to the absence of leads in an investigation.

the inquiry drew a blank

Uses the idiom "drew a blank" to convey the lack of results.

we came up empty

Uses the colloquial "came up empty" to express the lack of success.

the efforts were fruitless

Indicates that the efforts made did not produce any desired outcome.

the analysis revealed no findings

More formal way to indicate that analysis didn't show significant insights.

all efforts proved futile

This emphasizes the ineffectiveness and ultimate failure of any efforts.

FAQs

What does "nothing turned up" mean?

The phrase "nothing turned up" means that a search, investigation, or attempt to find something was unsuccessful and yielded no results or findings.

What can I say instead of "nothing turned up"?

You can use alternatives like "no results were found", "nothing was discovered", or "the search yielded nothing" depending on the context.

Is "nothing turned up" formal or informal?

"Nothing turned up" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. While it's not overly formal, it's widely understood and accepted in various types of writing and speech.

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

You can use "nothing turned up" in sentences like: "The police searched the house, but "nothing turned up"" or "I searched the database, but "nothing turned up" that matched the description."