that never hit me

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that never hit me" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a realization or understanding that has not occurred to someone until a certain point in time. Example: "I always thought I was doing fine, but the truth about my situation finally came to light; that never hit me before."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

But one that never hit home was why the people on the screen did not resemble my family.

The New York Times - Arts

"Lost Years" discloses an illness that never hit in the 30's -- a loss of interest in people.

The New York Times - Books

Democrats replied that long-term forecasts were notoriously unreliable and compared them to the forecast for a blizzard here last weekend that never hit.

The New York Times

It was a weak asteroid, perhaps 50 meters wide, that never hit the ground.

Science Magazine

What do you do when you're a consumer apps company with apps that never hit the big-time, but whose development forced you to solve the same problems over and over again?

TechCrunch

Avoiding mammograms would be like stopping weather forecasting because we occasionally over-prepare for storms that never hit.

Huffington Post

There will be many companies (over 80percentthathat never hit their funding target". "My hope is that equity crowdfunding emerges -- at home and abroad -- as a competitive source of capital for small businesses and viable investment choice for Americans.

HuffPost

Nothing but keep firing arrows that never hit the target.

WikiHow

Mr. Drexler recently relaunched J. Crew's line of women's suits, with much higher quality fabrics and a price that never hits $300, and if they became a hit, they could make the chain a lot of money.

The New York Times

A month later, Tiki masks with quotes relating to the project were placed on the construction walls, including: "I'm a bird with no feathers, a beast with no equal, a fall that never hits the ground.

Wikipedia

"It never hit me that he would go abroad to help the people out in Syria, that didn't cross my mind whatsoever".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that never hit me" to express a delayed realization or understanding, often in response to new information or a changed perspective. For instance, "I thought I was managing my time well, but then I realized I was constantly procrastinating; "that never hit me" before."

Common error

Avoid using "that never hit me" when describing events you were consciously aware of. This phrase is best suited for expressing realizations that occurred later. Do not use it when the event already hit you, that is, you were well aware of it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that never hit me" functions as an idiomatic expression to convey a delayed realization or a sudden understanding of something. Although Ludwig provides examples of similar phrases, "that never hit me" does not have any example.

Expression frequency: Missing

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "that never hit me" serves as an idiom indicating a realization that occurred later than it should have. While grammatically sound and understandable, Ludwig indicates it has no concrete examples of usage. The choice of using it depends largely on context and audience, as more formal equivalents might be preferable in certain settings. When aiming for clarity and impact, consider its alternatives, like "it didn't occur to me" or "I didn't realize that", to convey the subtle nuances of delayed understanding.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

It didn't register with me

Replaces "hit" with "register", focusing on the lack of initial awareness.

It didn't occur to me

Emphasizes the absence of the thought in one's mind.

I didn't realize that

Highlights the lack of awareness or understanding.

It didn't dawn on me

Implies a gradual or sudden realization.

I hadn't considered that

Focuses on the lack of prior consideration.

That thought never crossed my mind

Emphasizes the complete absence of the idea from one's thoughts.

I was oblivious to that

Highlights a state of unawareness.

That escaped my notice

Focuses on the idea being overlooked.

I hadn't grasped that

Emphasizes the lack of understanding.

That revelation bypassed me

Suggests the information was available, but not processed.

FAQs

How can I use "that never hit me" in a sentence?

Use "that never hit me" to express a realization or understanding that you've come to after a period of time. For example, "I thought I was being helpful, but then I realized I was actually hindering the project; "that never hit me" before."

What can I say instead of "that never hit me"?

You can use alternatives like "it didn't occur to me", "I didn't realize that", or "it didn't register with me" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "that never hit me" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "that never hit me" is generally more suitable for informal or conversational contexts. In formal writing, consider using more precise alternatives like "I had not previously considered that" or "I failed to recognize that".

What's the difference between "that never hit me" and "I didn't see that coming"?

"That never hit me" implies a delayed realization, whereas "I didn't see that coming" suggests surprise at an unexpected event. The first is about understanding; the second is about anticipation.