hollow

Having an empty space inside.

• The ball is hollow.
• Air passes through the hollow tube.
• These chocolate eggs are hollow inside.

Similar words: empty

Opposites: solid

Common phrases: hollow tube, hollow ball, hollow inside, hollow tree

Sounding low, dull, or strange, as if coming from an empty space.

• The door made a hollow sound.
• A hollow moan came from the tunnel.
• His footsteps sounded hollow in the empty hall.

Similar words: echoing, resonant

Common phrases: hollow sound, hollow voice, hollow thud

Having no real value, meaning, or truth behind it.

• Those are hollow promises.
• The victory felt hollow without her friends there.
• His apology sounded hollow after years of lying.

Similar words: empty, meaningless, worthless

Opposites: meaningful, substantial

Common phrases: hollow promise, hollow victory, hollow words

Showing no real happiness or feeling, even when someone seems to laugh or smile.

• He gave a hollow laugh.
• Her hollow smile did not hide her sadness.
• Their cheers sounded hollow after the bad news.

Similar words: joyless, forced, empty

Opposites: heartfelt

Common phrases: hollow laugh, hollow smile, hollow laughter

An empty space inside something solid.

• A mouse lived in the tree hollow.
• They found a hollow inside the rock.
• The trunk had several hollows where birds could nest.

How to use it: a hollow in something (The owl nested in a hollow in the tree.)

Similar words: hole, cavity

Common phrases: tree hollow, hollow in something, deep hollow

A small area of a surface that is lower than the area around it.

• Rain collected in a shallow hollow.
• He cradled the bird in the hollow of his hand.
• There were dark hollows beneath her eyes.

How to use it: the hollow of something (She held the stone in the hollow of her hand.)

Similar words: dip, depression

Opposites: bump

Common phrases: hollow of something, small hollow, shallow hollow

To remove the inside of something, leaving an empty space.

• Hollow out the pumpkin first.
• They hollowed a log to make a boat.
• Water had hollowed the rock over many years.

How to use it: hollow something out (We hollowed the pumpkin out with a spoon.)

Similar words: scoop out, excavate

Opposites: fill

Common phrases: hollow out something, hollow something out, hollow a log