hollow

[ hol-oh ]

/ ˈhɒl oʊ /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR hollow ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, hol·low·er, hol·low·est.

having a space or cavity inside; not solid; empty: a hollow sphere.

having a depression or concavity: a hollow surface.

sunken, as the cheeks or eyes.

(of sound) not resonant; dull, muffled, or deep: a hollow voice.

without real or significant worth; meaningless: a hollow victory.

insincere or false: hollow compliments.

hungry; having an empty feeling: I feel absolutely hollow, so let's eat.

noun

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

a valley: They took the sheep to graze in the hollow.

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

verb (used with object)

to make hollow (often followed by out): to hollow out a log.

to form by making something hollow (often followed by out): to hollow a place in the sand; boats hollowed out of logs.

verb (used without object)

to become hollow.

adverb

in a hollow manner: The politician's accusations rang hollow.

Nearby words

Idioms

beat all hollow, to surpass or outdo completely: His performance beat the others all hollow.Also beat hollow.

Origin of hollow

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

SYNONYMS FOR hollow

5. vain, empty, futile, pointless.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR hollow ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

hol·low·ly, adverbhol·low·ness, nounhalf-hol·low, adjectiveun·hol·low, adjective

un·hol·lowed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for hollow

The young man weaves through clusters of bamboo and cuts a diagonal slash into a tree, positioning a hollow log at the end.
The Congo's Forgotten Colonial Getaway|Nina Strochlic|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He pressed a hollow shell casing into my palm and leaned towards my ear, “I PICKED IT UP FROM THE BEDROOM!”
I Shot Bin Laden|Elliot Ackerman|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Head of State was prescient, but hollow; I Think I Love My Wife was bland; and the documentary Good Hair was fascinating fun.
Oscar Season Kicks Off in Toronto: Channing Tatum, Kristen Stewart, and More Court Awards Glory|Marlow Stern|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The boy stops making noise, and there's a hollow absence of sound for few moments before the Iraqi soldiers start shouting again.
Whatever You Do Someone Will Die. A Short Story About Impossible Choices in Iraq|Nathan Bradley Bethea|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In the end, Hollow pulled out a withering attack that outpaced Budden both in speed and viciousness.
America’s Poets: Battle Rap Gets Real|Rich Goldstein|July 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is quite impossible for me to decide if, by digging straight down, I shall come to a hollow cell or to a solid wall.
The Mason-bees|J. Henri Fabre
It is said that the nest is sometimes built in the crevices of cliffs or in hollow trees.
Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 1 [January 1902]|Various
Beyond the hollow stretched a belt of upheaved ridges of brick-red sandstone.
The Trail of Conflict|Emilie Baker Loring
His cheeks are hollow and pale; he looks dejected, and yet fierce.
Nancy|Rhoda Broughton
The deformity presents a combination of the hollow foot—pes cavus—with pes calcaneus, and resembles that of a Chinese lady's foot.
Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities--Head--Neck. Sixth Edition.|Alexander Miles

British Dictionary definitions for hollow

hollow

/ (ˈhɒləʊ) /

adjective

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

having a sunken area; concave

recessed or deeply sethollow cheeks

(of sounds) as if resounding in a hollow place

without substance or validity

hungry or empty

insincere; cynical

a hollow leg or hollow legs the capacity to eat or drink a lot without ill effects

adverb

beat someone hollow British informal to defeat someone thoroughly and convincingly

noun

a cavity, opening, or space in or within something

a depression or dip in the land

verb (often foll by out, usually when tr)

to make or become hollow

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

Derived Formshollowly, adverbhollowness, noun

Word Origin for hollow

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for hollow

hollow

adj.

c.1200, from Old English holh (n.) "hollow place, hole," from Proto-Germanic *hul-, from PIE *kel- "to cover, conceal" (see cell). The figurative sense of "insincere" is attested from 1520s. Related: Hollowly; hollowness. To carry it hollow "take it completely" is first recorded 1660s, of unknown origin or connection.

hollow

late 14c., holowen, from hollow (adj.). Related: Hollowed; hollowing.

"lowland, valley, basin," 1550s, probably a modern formation from hollow (adj.). Old English had holh (n.) "cave, den; internal cavity."

Idioms and Phrases with hollow

hollow

see beat the pants off (hollow).

hollow

adjective, hol·low·er, hol·low·est.

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adverb

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of hollow

Examples from the Web for hollow

hollow

adjective

adverb

noun

verb (often foll by out, usually when tr)

Word Origin for hollow

hollow

hollow

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