What does hollowly mean?
Hollowly is an adverb meaning in an empty, insincere, or affected manner. It is especially useful for describing a spoken response, gesture, or emotional display that appears meaningful on the surface but lacks genuine feeling, conviction, or substance. The adverb often suggests a contrast between outward appearance and inner reality: someone may smile hollowly, laugh hollowly, or apologize hollowly, appearing to perform a socially expected emotion while communicating little sincerity. In political and social commentary, it can also modify words such as 'promise', 'agreement', or 'reassurance' when those claims are dismissed as empty or insincere. Hollowly is more evocative and judgmental than 'emptily' and generally carries a literary or descriptive tone. It is a useful word when precise criticism is needed without simply saying that someone is lying.
adverbIn a hollow, empty, or insincere manner, especially with a lack of genuine feeling or conviction.
- In an empty or insincere manner, especially suggesting that an emotion or claim lacks genuine feeling or conviction.
"The actor smiled hollowly as he delivered the final line."
"She apologized hollowly without looking at the person she had hurt."
"The politician's promises sounded hollowly confident, with little practical meaning behind them."
Hollowly captures the moment when a voice or smile sounds convincing but feels conspicuously untrue.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hollowly come from?
Hollowly is formed from the adjective 'hollow' with the adverbial suffix '-ly'. The adjective 'hollow' comes from Old English 'hol', meaning 'hollow' or 'inside a cavity', and developed through Middle English into its modern sense of emptiness, absence, or lack of substance. The metaphorical sense—something empty of truth, feeling, or significance—became established in later English usage. Related forms include 'hollowed', meaning made hollow, and 'hollowing', the act of becoming or making hollow.
How hollowly is actually used
This is a relatively literary or descriptive adverb. It often describes speech, laughter, smiles, or apologies and carries a stronger implication of emotional emptiness or insincerity than the more neutral adverb 'emptily'.
Easily confused with hollowly
Hallow means to make or regard something sacred, whereas hollowly describes an empty, insincere, or affected manner.