What does hollower mean?
Hollower is the comparative form of the adjective hollow and is used when comparing two people, objects, sounds, or qualities. In a physical sense, it means more empty, less solid, or more like a cavity: a hollower container may be lighter and less stable than a solid one. In figurative use, a hollower voice, laugh, promise, or victory suggests greater emptiness, artificiality, or lack of genuine feeling or value. The word is common in both British and American English and can stand either before a noun or after a linking verb. It is especially useful when a direct comparison is being made, although "more hollow" is also idiomatic in many contexts. Although its grammatical form is simple, hollower can convey both literal physical qualities and the strongly figurative sense of something that appears substantial but lacks substance.
adjectiveThe comparative form of hollow. It means more hollow, empty, or insincere, depending on context.
- More hollow or empty in physical form.
- More insincere, ineffective, or lacking genuine feeling, especially when describing a voice, sound, laugh, or promise.
"His hollower voice made it clear that he was trying to conceal his concern."
"The new bowl felt hollower than the old one because its base was thinner."
"His appeal for help sounded hollower than anyone expected."
Hollow and hole share an Old English ancestor, reflecting their long connection with empty spaces and cavities.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hollower come from?
Hollower is formed by adding the comparative suffix -er to hollow. Hollow descends from Old English hol, meaning "hollow" or "a hollow place," and is related to Old English hol, meaning "hole." Cognate forms survive in languages including German hohl and Dutch hol, all referring to an empty or cavity-like space.
How hollower is actually used
As a comparative adjective, it normally appears before a noun, as in "a hollower sound," or after a linking verb, as in "the room seemed hollower." The alternative "more hollow" is also grammatical.
Easily confused with hollower
Hollower describes something more empty, cavernous, or insincere, whereas fuller means containing or filled with more material or substance.