hollow out

verb

hollowed out; hollowing out; hollows out

1

: to remove the inside of (something) : to make an empty space in (something)

The kids were hollowing out pumpkins.

a hollowed-out log

2

: to form (something) by digging or cutting the inside of something

Workers hollowed out a tunnel through the mountain.

Examples of hollow out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

European countries have hardened their stance against Chinese imports over fears that an influx of goods like solar panels and EVs could hollow out the bloc’s industries. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Ostensibly the least affected by the incident (if anything, the firefight made his reputation), Michael nevertheless has been hollowed out by years of covering war. — Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

The statement came out in the immediate aftermath of a Supreme Court decision that hollowed out portions of the Voting Rights Act. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026

The longtime headquarters of CBS News’s most hallowed properties—60 Minutes and Inside Edition—was recently hollowed out in a Paramount acquisition that saw personalities and producers shuffled to a center across the street. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for hollow out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout