Meaning & use
here nor there
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
not important or not connected to the subject being discussed.
Grammar: Almost always used in the negative: 'neither here nor there' or 'not here nor there'. It follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'seem'.
Patterns
- be neither here nor there
- something is neither here nor there
The cost of the paint is neither here nor there; what matters is whether it matches the walls.
His opinion on the design is neither here nor there because the client has already approved it.
Whether you like the manager personally is neither here nor there—you still have to follow the rules.
Common combinations
- be neither here nor there
- The exact time of the meeting is neither here nor there as long as everyone can attend.
- neither here nor there to someone
- Her apologies were neither here nor there to me after what she did.
- something is neither here nor there
- The color of the car is neither here nor there; I just need something reliable.
Synonyms and how they differ
- irrelevant
- A more formal adjective meaning not connected to the subject. Use 'irrelevant' instead of 'here nor there' when you want a single-word description rather than an idiom.
- immaterial
- A formal adjective meaning not important. It is stronger and more academic than 'here nor there'.
Opposites
Commonly confused: here nor there or here and there?
here nor there vs here and there
'Here and there' means in various places, not 'not important'. For example, 'There were flowers here and there' means scattered around.
Practice
His personal feelings about the merger are ______; the decision has already been made.
Choose one answer.
The idiom uses 'neither...nor' and means 'not important'. 'Here and there' means scattered, and 'neither here or there' is a grammar error because 'neither' pairs with 'nor'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “here nor there”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.