Synonyms of hollow

hollow 1 of 3

adjective

ˈhä-(ˌ)lō 

as in concave

curved inward

there's a noticeably hollow spot in the mattress where he has been sleeping

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concave
• sunken
• depressed
• dimpled
• cupped
• indented
• recessed
• dished
• dented
• compressed
• cavernous
• alveolar
• crescentic
• cuplike
• recurved
• reduced
• diminished
• condensed
• cuppy
• pockmarked
• contracted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• convex
• protuberant
• bulbous
• swollen
• projecting
• risen
• enlarged
• inflated
• distended
• puffy
• extended
• protruding
• bloated
• spherical
• round
• bulging
• rounded
• blown up
• protrusive
• domed
• expanded
• cambered
• globular
• ballooning
• global
• puffed
• jutting

hollow

2 of 3

noun

1

as in hole

a sunken area forming a separate space

made a little hollow in her mound of mashed potatoes and filled it with gravy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hole
• dent
• cavity
• pit
• furrow
• concavity
• indentation
• ditch
• recess
• depression
• cavern
• dint
• cave
• valley
• trench
• bowl
• burrow
• groove
• impression
• alcove
• indenture
• pocket
• trough
• basin
• excavation
• opening
• gutter
• socket
• crater
• dimple
• cleft
• vacuum
• void
• nook
• niche
• gouge
• abyss
• imprint
• alveolus
• chasm
• well
• water hole
• borehole
• notch
• pothole
• sinkhole
• vacuity
• posthole
• wallow
• chuckhole
• gulf

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• projection
• bulge
• protrusion
• hill
• convexity
• rise
• camber
• protuberance
• mound
• jut
• swelling
• tumor
• lump
• swell
• bunch
• bump
• hump
• pimple

2

as in valley

an area of lowland between hills or mountains

a quaint village nestled in a hollow among green hills

Synonyms & Similar Words

• valley
• ravine
• canyon
• vale
• glen
• gorge
• dale
• dene
• gully
• bowl
• gulch
• rift valley
• combe
• dell
• basin
• dingle
• depression
• kloof

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• mountain
• peak
• mount
• summit
• height
• pinnacle
• plateau
• mountaintop
• alp
• tableland

hollow

3 of 3

verb

as in to gouge

Related Words

• gouge
• penetrate
• groove
• excavate
• burrow (into)
• slit
• split
• cut
• rupture
• slash
• rend
• notch
• prick
• poke
• bore
• hole
• gash
• tap
• break
• pierce
• drill
• perforate
• puncture
• punch
• broach
• prickle
• riddle

Dissimilar Words

• fill
• patch
• seal
• plug

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hollow distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of hollow are empty, idle, nugatory, otiose, and vain. While all these words mean "being without worth or significance," empty and hollow suggest a deceiving lack of real substance or soundness or genuineness.

an empty attempt at reconciliation

a hollow victory

When is it sensible to use idle instead of hollow?

Although the words idle and hollow have much in common, idle suggests being incapable of worthwhile use or effect.

idle speculations

When could nugatory be used to replace hollow?

The synonyms nugatory and hollow are sometimes interchangeable, but nugatory suggests triviality or insignificance.

a monarch with nugatory powers

When can otiose be used instead of hollow?

In some situations, the words otiose and hollow are roughly equivalent. However, otiose suggests that something serves no purpose and is either an encumbrance or a superfluity.

a film without a single otiose scene

Where would vain be a reasonable alternative to hollow?

While in some cases nearly identical to hollow, vain implies either absolute or relative absence of value.

vain promises

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hollow

Adjective

Purely agentic teams risk becoming technically perfect but emotionally hollow. —Micha Hershman, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

Iran’s actions don’t justify accepting a hollow promise. —Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026

Noun

The backrest and seat are generously padded with dense foam, with no noticeable hollows. —Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 June 2026

DeLuca lists the great crested flycatcher, prothonotary warbler, chickadees, nuthatches, Eastern bluebirds, tree swallows, and purple martins as among birds that will nest in a hollow or snag. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 May 2026

Verb

The path forward for most districts, however, will require solving the same problems that helped hollow these programs out. —Gerald Bradshaw, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026

However, when considering the Chinese Communist Party’s national-level Military-Civil Fusion strategy, this restriction rings hollow. —Jim Costa, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026