How to pronounce hollow
Say it like HOL-oh. Hollow has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HOL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hollow. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HOL
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hollow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HOLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of hollow
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: HOL-oh.
What does hollow mean?
- a cavity or space in something“hunger had caused the hollows in their cheeks”
- a small valley between mountains“he built himself a cabin in a hollow high up in the Appalachians”
- a depression hollowed out of solid matter
- not solid; having a space or gap or cavity“a hollow wall”“a hollow tree”
- as if echoing in a hollow space“the hollow sound of footsteps in the empty ballroom”
- devoid of significance or force“empty promises”“a hollow victory”
- remove the inner part or the core of“the mining company wants to excavate the hillside”
- remove the interior of“hollow out a tree trunk”
Where does hollow come from?
From Middle English holow, holowe, holwe, holwȝ, holgh, from Old English holh (“a hollow”), from Proto-West Germanic *holh, from Proto-Germanic *hulwiją, from Proto-Germanic *hulaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover, hide”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with hollow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hollow.
Questions about saying hollow
How do you pronounce hollow?
Say HOL-oh. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑloʊ/. In British English it is /ˈhɒləʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hollow?
Hollow has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HOL). Broken into parts: HOL · oh.
Is hollow pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈhɒləʊ/ (HOL-oh).