hollow
Americanadjective
-
having a space or cavity inside; not solid; empty.
a hollow sphere.
-
having a depression or concavity.
a hollow surface.
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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.
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insincere or false.
hollow compliments.
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hungry; having an empty feeling.
I feel absolutely hollow, so let's eat.
noun
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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)
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to make hollow (often followed byout ).
to hollow out a log.
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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)
adverb
idioms
adjective
-
having a hole, cavity, or space within; not solid
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having a sunken area; concave
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recessed or deeply set
hollow cheeks
-
(of sounds) as if resounding in a hollow place
-
without substance or validity
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hungry or empty
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insincere; cynical
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the capacity to eat or drink a lot without ill effects
adverb
noun
-
a cavity, opening, or space in or within something
-
a depression or dip in the land
verb
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to make or become hollow
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to form (a hole, cavity, etc) or (of a hole, etc) to be formed
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hollow
First recorded before 900; Middle English holow, holw(e), Old English holh “a hollow place”; akin to hole
Explanation
If something is hollow, it is empty on the inside. A chocolate Easter bunny looks like so much chocolate until you realize that it is hollow and quickly eaten. The idea of emptiness is apparent in the other uses for hollow too. A valley between mountains is called a hollow and if you're really thin, you may have hollow cheeks. Things like words and promises are hollow if the person uttering them does not intend to keep them. And a hollow victory is not very satisfying, as it means that you have reached your goal, but lost something more important along the way.
Vocabulary lists containing hollow
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Excerpt from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The British government's response "needs to be more than words" as they "ring rather hollow".
From BBC • May 21, 2026
If “The Christophers” is to be believed, art that tries to imitate a certain style is little more than hollow, emotionless posturing.
From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026
All of this advice risks ringing hollow for a generation already struggling to land a first job.
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
The bulky toy was holding a hollow, polka-dotted egg.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
I jumped to my feet, my boots making a hollow clomping noise on the floor.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
