HOLLOW Synonyms: 172 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

hollow 1 of 3

adjective

ˈhä-(ˌ)lō

Definition of hollow next

as in concave

curved inward there's a noticeably hollow spot in the mattress where he has been sleeping

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hollow

2 of 3

noun

as in hole

a sunken area forming a separate space made a little hollow in her mound of mashed potatoes and filled it with gravy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in valley

an area of lowland between hills or mountains a quaint village nestled in a hollow among green hills

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hollow

3 of 3

verb

as in to gouge

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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

Joseph Stocker found five young wolf cubs hidden in a hollow stump in the St. Lawrence river bottom. —

Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 The key innovation is a hollow head, created through a 24-hour 3D printing process and a lattice structure inside the club. —

Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2025

Noun

Ideal for targeting redness, dark spots and under-eye hollows, the stick design allows for precise application, while the creamy texture blends seamlessly into the skin using your fingers, a sponge or a brush. —

Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 26 Nov. 2024 All that water had to compress into valleys and hollows. —

Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 4 Oct. 2024

Verb

What’s more important, for now, is how this hole in the center of Margaret’s life hollows her out and strains her relationships. —

Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2024 The new breed of autocrats corrode democracy by taking part in democratic politics and then hollowing them out until only an empty shell remains. —

Moisés Naím, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2022 See all Example Sentences for hollow

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hollow

Adjective

With their wide second-position pliés, concave torsos and jutting hips, the eight dancers often appear to be pulled downward and inward; a little shuddering step looks like an attempt to take off from the ground.

— Siobhan Burke, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Despite sounding contradictory, Eisen’s pieces appear to be very simple, but the minimal creations have complex shapes including concave ones.

— Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 16 Jan. 2025

Definition of concave

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“Hollow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hollow. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

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Last Updated: 19 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences

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