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
This rock hollowed out by erosion and walled up with stones was likely used by shepherds as a shelter near the historic Sardinian village of Tempio Pausania.
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IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
STRs have hollowed out our coastal communities; homes should be for neighbors, not tourists.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
The savings go straight to the top while hollowing out the middle class.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
One of the crown jewels of that struggle, the Voting Rights Act, was hollowed out by a Supreme Court ruling last week.
—Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hollow out
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IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
STRs have hollowed out our coastal communities; homes should be for neighbors, not tourists.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
The savings go straight to the top while hollowing out the middle class.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
One of the crown jewels of that struggle, the Voting Rights Act, was hollowed out by a Supreme Court ruling last week.
—Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hollow out
Cite this Entry
“Hollow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hollow%20out. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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