hollow-eyed
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of hollow-eyed
First recorded in 1520–30
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 pictures show a pallid, hollow-eyed man, resembling Poe, who’s sitting by the fire in his dressing gown when there comes a gentle “rapping, rapping” at the door.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
School district lawyers, contrary to popular belief and Disney Channel sitcoms are not hollow-eyed pencil pushers, who live to squelch liberty and creativity in red tape and regulation.
From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2022
In one story, a hollow-eyed masseuse mourns the abrupt, outwardly random death of her son and the loss of her business to the pandemic as her wastrel husband dreams and schemes.
From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2022
But by 14, Dylan is hollow-eyed, staring blankly at the camera.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 20, 2022
He hacked and stumbled around, hollow-eyed, gaunt and sniffling, and folks crossed themselves, murmuring Hail Marys whenever he staggered into view.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
