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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in valley

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hollow

3 of 3

verb

as in to gouge

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Dissimilar Words

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

The small seeds feed hungry songbirds in autumn and the hollow stems provide nesting sites for native bees over winter. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2026 The acclaimed writer Rachel Cusk’s controversial new novel Life of M is an intimate, unvarnished character study of an A-list movie star who is depicted as hollow, immature and cynical, an intellectual poseur and an artist wannabe. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026

Noun

Groups of amateur sleuths also cropped up in the hollows of tragedy to wrestle with the case and analyze rumors swarming the Horman family in online forums, echoing a familiar pattern of behavior on the internet in the face of long-unsolved criminal cases. — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 That single number makes every record-high headline ring hollow. — Kam Shenai, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2026

Verb

That, in the end, is what separates productive worry from the kind that hollows you out. — Angela Haupt, Time, 8 May 2026 For owners, labor has always been a cost center; AI is the first technology that credibly promises to hollow it out entirely. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hollow

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hollow

Adjective

The convex-concave curves of the open and closed parentheses cup something said by the way, whisperings, secrets mouthed into the reader’s ear, mumbled under the author’s breath.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
These heavy bobbers feature a concave head that looks identical to a popper.

— Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 23 July 2026

Definition of concave

Noun

McIlroy surged into the top-10 on Saturday with a 7-under 63, powered by nine birdies, including three in his final four holes.

— Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
The researchers engineered an additional GaN layer that naturally creates a second sheet containing mobile holes, called a two-dimensional hole gas, or 2DHG.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of hole

Noun

The rocks and melted water suddenly swelled the rivers in the valleys below, causing torrents of water that swept buildings, bridges and earth downstream in Tibet and Nepal.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Many flood-prone valleys in the country have warning alarms, but as NPR has reported, the government has struggled to keep up with the cost of maintaining the systems.

— Ava Berger, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of valley

Verb

The shrapnel tore through the metal surrounding the engine, shattering the window at row 11, leaving a dent in the plane near row 8 and puncturing the body below the wing, as well as gouging and denting the tail, the NTSB said.

— Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Also, refrain from pressure washing aggressively, as this can gouge the wood.

— Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2026

Definition of gouge

Adjective

The rooms 67 one-, two- and three-bedroom overwater villas and beach residences boast infinity pools with sunken outdoor lounges and panoramic rooftop decks.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
The clock was ticking, but Ballard had learned something from the sunken subs.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of sunken

Verb

Their forensic multi-scale remote sensing (MSRS) framework combines satellite radar, laser scanning, and ground-penetrating radar to find suspicious areas, investigate them in detail, and probe what may be happening underground.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
This can be from a gunshot, bone fragment, or anything that would be used to penetrate the brain.

— Connie Etermadi, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of penetrate

Noun

The cavities could generate enough force to spin the blades at 13,000 revolutions per minute, which is an impressively high number.

— Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
In its complaint, the real-estate firm points out that Urban Zen’s own lawsuit from June, alleging that rats are nesting in the cavities and holes of its Federal-style building from 1828, is evidence against them.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of cavity

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hollos

hollow

hollowed

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“Hollow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hollow. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of hollow

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