6 synonyms and better words for “hollow,” each with its precise meaning and an example so you pick the one that actually fits, not just the nearest match.
Resembling a vast cave in depth, emptiness, or resonant quality.
“Her voice echoed through the cavernous hall as if the building itself were breathing.”
Best for: Works well for physical spaces or sounds; adds scale and drama to descriptions.
Devoid of meaning, substance, or intelligent thought; utterly empty.
“He smiled a vacuous smile, his eyes betraying nothing behind them.”
Best for: Best used for emotional or intellectual emptiness rather than physical space.
Suggestive of a tomb; unnervingly deep, hollow, and gloomy in tone.
“The sepulchral silence of the abandoned chapel pressed against her ears like cold stone.”
Best for: Strongly literary and atmospheric; ideal for gothic or solemn writing.
Curving inward like the interior of a sphere, forming a hollow depression.
“The wind had worn the rock face concave, scooping a shallow alcove from solid stone.”
Best for: Precise and punchy; suits architectural, geological, or visual descriptions.
Archaic term meaning utterly void or empty of substance or content.
“The prophet spoke of an inanite void that preceded creation itself.”
Best for: Extremely rare; suits archaic, philosophical, or speculative fiction writing.
Full of gaps, pits, or hollow depressions; perforated with absence.
“The lacunose surface of the meteorite told a story of violent collisions across deep time.”
Best for: Rare and technical in origin; striking in literary or scientific-adjacent prose.
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