hollow

[hol-oh]

adjective

hollower, hollowest 

1. having a space or cavity inside; not solid; empty.

   a hollow sphere.

2. having a depression or concavity.

   a hollow surface.

3. sunken, as the cheeks or eyes.

4. (of sound) not resonant; dull, muffled, or deep.

   a hollow voice.

5. without real or significant worth; meaningless.

   a hollow victory.

   Synonyms: pointless, futile, empty, vain

6. insincere or false.

   hollow compliments.

7. hungry; having an empty feeling.

   I feel absolutely hollow, so let's eat.

noun

1. an empty space within anything; a hole, depression, or cavity.

2. a valley.

   They took the sheep to graze in the hollow.

3. Foundry.,  a concavity connecting two surfaces otherwise intersecting at an obtuse angle.

verb (used with object)

1. to make hollow (often followed byout ).

   to hollow out a log.

2. to form by making something hollow (often followed byout ).

   to hollow a place in the sand;

   boats hollowed out of logs.

verb (used without object)

1. to become hollow.

adverb

1. in a hollow manner.

   The politician's accusations rang hollow.

hollow

/ ˈhɒləʊ /

adjective

1. having a hole, cavity, or space within; not solid

2. having a sunken area; concave

3. recessed or deeply set

   hollow cheeks

4. (of sounds) as if resounding in a hollow place

5. without substance or validity

6. hungry or empty

7. insincere; cynical

8. the capacity to eat or drink a lot without ill effects

adverb

1. informal,  to defeat someone thoroughly and convincingly

noun

1. a cavity, opening, or space in or within something

2. a depression or dip in the land

verb

1. to make or become hollow

2. to form (a hole, cavity, etc) or (of a hole, etc) to be formed

Other Word Forms

• hollowly adverb
• hollowness noun
• half-hollow adjective
• unhollow adjective
• unhollowed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hollow¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English holow, holw(e), Old English holh “a hollow place”; akin to hole

Word History and Origins

Origin of hollow¹

C12: from holu, inflected form of Old English holh cave; related to Old Norse holr, German hohl; see _hole

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. beat all hollow, to surpass or outdo completely: Also beat hollow.

   His performance beat the others all hollow.

see beat the pants off (hollow).

Example Sentences

The actor brings a subdued intensity to his performance that indicates how tightly coiled Nick is, despite faintly hollow protests that he feels better.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

On their recent expedition at a cattle farm overlooking a picturesque bay, Scmack detected a possum living in a hollow tree on a hillside.

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“How many people do you have to hurt before self-defense feels like a hollow refrain?”

Read more on Salon

The rapid descent into delusion in the name of unmitigated cruelty and hollow provocation would be laughable if it weren’t terrifying at the same time.

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"The Environment Agency is so hollowed out that it cannot investigate pollution crimes, effectively telling polluters they can act with impunity," James Wallace, the chief executive of campaign group River Action, told the BBC.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• empty 
• fruitless 
• futile 
• pointless 
• useless 
• worthless