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 leaders have long complained that cheap Chinese imports risk hollowing out their manufacturing capacity, particularly in Germany, Europe’s industrial powerhouse. — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 29 July 2026

As Fortune reported, a generation watching AI hollow out entry-level work is increasingly deciding to skip corporate careers altogether rather than line up for a bottom rung that's disappearing anyway. — Alli Kushner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Today, the city’s Ferris wheel and bumper cars sit rusting untouched, the surrounding apartment blocks standing hollowed out by looters and the natural decay of time passed while trees push through the pavement where playgrounds once stood. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026

As the Eastmont neighborhood became increasingly hollowed out beginning in the mid-1990s, the parcel sat unchanged, said Carolyn Johnson, CEO of the nonprofit now set to take it over. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 26 July 2026

Rhymes for hollow out

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