hollow

[ hol-oh ]

/ ˈhɒl oʊ /

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See synonyms for: hollow / hollowed / hollowness 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.

OTHER WORDS FOR hollow

5 vain, empty, futile, pointless.

See synonyms for hollow on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about 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

OTHER WORDS FROM hollow

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

un·hol·lowed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use hollow in a sentence

This is silence in the face of presidential attacks on the constitutional order — a silence that rings out across the prairies and down the hollows as approval and permission.
Republicans, it isn’t too late to stand up for the nation|Michael Gerson|December 3, 2020|Washington Post
Some air also moves into the gadget’s hollow walls, eliminating cold spots.
The 8 most helpful new home products of 2020|By Sandra Gutierrez G. and John Kennedy|December 3, 2020|Popular-Science
And, because the supports are hollow, wiring for accessories like solar panels can live inside where they’re protected from the elements.
The 100 greatest innovations of 2020|Popular Science Staff|December 2, 2020|Popular-Science
Despite the relatively hollow structure, the Supersport-35 still weighs about the same as a typical blade putter.
Cobra 3D-printed its limited-edition putter with stainless steel|Stan Horaczek|December 1, 2020|Popular-Science

The hollow hairs are made of silica, the same substance in glass.
Please do not touch the Australian stinging tree|Rebecca E. Hirsch|November 25, 2020|Science News For Students
But the closing of one school after another exposes the hollowness of those promises.
The West Made Lots of Promises to Afghan Girls, Now It’s Breaking Them|Heather Barr|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My voice sounded cheerful and supportive, properly concealing the hollowness I felt.
My Attack of Model Jealousy|Anonymous|February 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In his voluble, guns-blazing manner, Adrover made the hollowness of New York Fashion Week, which ends Thursday, apparent.
Designing for the One Percent at New York Fashion Week|Robin Givhan|February 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
We know too much now about the hollowness of institutions and the frailty of their leaders.
The Naked Truth|Tina Brown|February 18, 2009|DAILY BEAST
There were no tears in his eyes, but a feeling of hollowness about his heart, and a great pain.
Riders of the Silences|John Frederick
They gave off a muffled clink of hollowness when he tapped them.
The Devil's Asteroid|Manly Wade Wellman
Then she rapped the floor and walls, and could discover no indications of hollowness.
Scottish Ghost Stories|Elliott O'Donnell
Had his best days of happiness been, then, nothing but hollowness and self-deception?
The Heir of Redclyffe|Charlotte M. Yonge
We used especially to open our minds, la Mandeville, on the hollowness of human virtue.
Solomon Maimon: An Autobiography.|Solomon Maimon

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 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

Other Idioms and Phrases with hollow

hollow

see beat the pants off (hollow).

hollow

OTHER WORDS FOR hollow

Idioms about hollow

Origin of hollow

OTHER WORDS FROM hollow

Words related to hollow

How to use hollow in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hollow

Derived forms of hollow

Word Origin for hollow

Other Idioms and Phrases with hollow