hollow 1 of 3

Definition of hollownext

hollow

2 of 3

noun

hollow

3 of 3

verb

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hollow
Adjective
Your success stops feeling hollow. Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026 The bees will form a temporary cluster, hanging out while scouts search the surrounding area for a more permanent home in hollow spaces like tree cavities or, occasionally, the walls of a home. Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Noun
Also, check for hollows in trunks that may mean the interior portion is rotting. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026 Some cavities were intentionally left hollow, while others were filled with materials like gelatin or foam. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 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 See All Example Sentences for hollow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hollow
Adjective
  • Using a clean towel, apply a generous amount of food-safe mineral oil to the concave side.
    Staff Author, Martha Stewart, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Lightly wet just the concave side of the board and place it on a damp kitchen towel on your countertop.
    Lizzy Briskin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Options for family fun range from tennis and pickleball courts, croquet lawns, and two 18-hole golf courses to a seasonal outdoor pool with a waterslide and splash pad.
    Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 16 June 2026
  • The Braves’ hot start has covered over some holes.
    Jim Bowden, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 14 June 2026
  • On the West Coast, heat alerts are in place in parts of California's San Joaquin Valley from Redding at the north end of the valley to Bakersfield at the south end, with actual high temperatures from 100 to possibly 105.
    Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • The bipartisan House panel questioned four witnesses, including OutKick President Clay Travis, who accused the NFL of price gouging its massive audience in his opening statement.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2026
  • Despite more than 2,000 county gouging complaints and an Altadena family’s lawsuit alleging illegally tripled rent, officials say regular market forces and existing rent controls will now dictate prices.
    Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • Other highlights include a sunken living room centered around a fireplace, with a bay-windowed alcove that accommodates a grand piano beneath a vintage Murano milk-glass calla lily chandelier.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 12 June 2026
  • The two-story family room features a sunken conversation area that lowers occupants to garden level, enhancing the sense of connection to the landscape and instilling a sense of intimacy within the open plan.
    Fred Albert, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Noun
  • One meteor that plunged into the sleepy British town of Winchcombe in 2021 — leaving a sizable dent in a family’s driveway — was found to have a D/H ratio that almost perfectly matched that of Earth’s oceans.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 June 2026
  • The project is expected to make a major dent in CO2 emissions, or greenhouse gases.
    Tara Molina, CBS News, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • Straw and shredded leaves work well because water can easily penetrate through them to the soil.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
  • Helsing argues that modern air forces increasingly need a combination of kinetic and electronic attack capabilities to penetrate advanced air defence systems and counter sophisticated surveillance assets, making autonomous electronic warfare platforms a key component of future military operations.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026
Noun
  • What was left showed a cavity about 3 light-years long and with an opening angle of 45 degrees, leading back to the black hole itself.
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 16 June 2026
  • Some pine tree-nesting birds have been known to peck the tree trunk around the nest cavity so the sap will run down and protect the babies from climbing snakes.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hollow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hollow. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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