<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-07-01</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2016-07-05</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001111711</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NISOURCE INC/DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001434733</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Jesanis Michael E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>801 E 86TH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MERRILLVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>46410-6272</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-07-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>22526.303</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>22526.303</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Form 4 filed on July 5, 2016 inadvertently displayed a transaction date of June 20, 2016.  This Form 4/A has been amended to reflect the correct transaction date of July 1, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents a non-discretionary exempt transaction by the reporting person caused solely by Columbia Pipeline Group Inc.'s (&quot;CPG&quot;) termination of its Omnibus Plan in connection with its merger with TransCanada, which in turn caused the payment in cash to the reporting person of the value of that person's CPG restricted stock unit account pursuant to its terms.  The issuer's common stock was one of the underlying investment options under the CPG restricted stock unit arrangement, and the disposed securities represent the value of the reporting person's portion of his CPG restricted stock unit account that tracked the value of the issuer's common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Samuel K. Lee, attorney-in-fact for Michael E. Jesanis</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-07-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
