hollow out

verb

hollowed out; hollowing out; hollows out
Synonyms of hollow outnext
1
: to remove the inside of (something) : to make an empty space in (something)
The kids were hollowing out pumpkins.
a hollowed-out log
2
: to form (something) by digging or cutting the inside of something
Workers hollowed out a tunnel through the mountain.

Examples of hollow out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In Hama, the wounds are 44 years old; the city was hollowed out, every family touched by loss. — Lina Sergie Attar, Time, 6 Aug. 2026 In the back, gallon-size gourds used by Rwandans for fermenting and brewing—some hollowed out more than 80 years ago—were displayed as prized heirlooms. — Alicia Erickson, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026 Kpler, meanwhile, cautioned that new projects will take five years and colossal sums to deliver results from an industry hollowed out by underinvestment. — semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Detroit’s tax base hollowed out, creating a fiscal crisis and ensuing bankruptcy that is just now starting to turn around. — Stephanie Leiser, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hollow out

Rhymes for hollow out

See All Rhymes for hollow out

Browse Nearby Words

hollow newel stair
hollow out
hollow square
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hollow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hollow%20out. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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