hollow

[ hol-oh ]

/ ˈhɒl oʊ /

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.

QUIZZES

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Question 1 of 11

OK Boomer can be perceived as pejorative, but it is mostly considered to be _____

a slang word for astronauts that originated in the 1950s.

a comment toward the Baby Boomer generation that is humorous or ironic in usage.

an obsolete slang term about people who speak loudly.

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Idioms for hollow

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM hollow

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

un·hol·lowed, adjective

Words nearby hollow

holliger, hollingshead, hollister, holliston, hollo, hollow, hollow back, hollow bone, hollow leg, hollow newel, hollow sea

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for hollowing

Locals call it the hollowing out of the city into an empty theme park.
The Big Idea: How Tourism Can Destroy the Places We Love|Elizabeth Becker|July 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Takeovers of foreign companies and government intervention in the markets have spooked investors, hollowing out key industries.
After the Presidential Election, a Tough Road for Hugo Chávez|Mac Margolis|October 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
It was a dugout or canoe, made by hollowing with axe and adz a section of a cucumber tree.
A Dream of Empire|William Henry Venable
They were formed by hollowing out two trunks of trees, which were sewn together in the centre.
Great African Travellers|W.H.G. Kingston

The Jet Ant (Formica fuliginosa) excavates wood, hollowing out its labyrinth in the trunk of a tree with consummate skill.
The Insect World|Louis Figuier
Who can tell the immense sums expended in hollowing out the living rock of Gibraltar?
Charles Sumner; his complete works, volume 1 (of 20)|Charles Sumner
The Yankee took the adze from his hand before he could speak, and set about hollowing troughs very rapidly.
Cedar Creek|Elizabeth Hely Walshe

British Dictionary definitions for hollowing

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 forms of hollow

hollowly, 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

Idioms and Phrases with hollowing

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

QUIZZES

Idioms for hollow

Origin of hollow

SYNONYMS FOR hollow

OTHER WORDS FROM hollow

Words nearby hollow

Words related to hollowing

Example sentences from the Web for hollowing

British Dictionary definitions for hollowing

adjective

adverb

noun

verb (often foll by out, usually when tr)

Derived forms of hollow

Word Origin for hollow

Idioms and Phrases with hollowing