Cool MateHollow vs The house was all empty
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Hollow
Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective
The house was all empty
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Hollow
| Hollow | The house was all empty | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈhɒləʊ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈhɑːləʊ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðə haʊs wəz ɔːl ˈɛmpti//🇺🇸 //ðə haʊs wəz ɔl ˈɛmpti// |
| Meaning | Having a space inside; not solid. | There was nothing inside the house. |
| Example | The tree was hollow, providing a perfect shelter for small animals. | After the family moved out, the house was all empty. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | hollow laughter, hollow point, hollow eyes, hollow sound | house was all empty, room was all empty, space was all empty |
| Antonyms | solid, full | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'hallowed' (holy)., Using as a verb instead of an adjective., Mixing up 'hollow' with 'empty' without context. | Using 'completely empty' instead of 'all empty' incorrectly., Confusing 'empty' with 'vacant'; 'empty' means no contents., Misplacing the phrase; it should describe the state of something specific. |
| Usage notes | Used when describing objects that are empty inside, such as a hollow tree or hollow shell. Avoid using in overly formal contexts. | Use 'all empty' in informal contexts, often to emphasize that there is nothing at all. Avoid in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Hollow vs The house was all empty
What's the difference between Hollow and The house was all empty?
Hollow: Having a space inside; not solid. The house was all empty: There was nothing inside the house.
Which is more common: Hollow and The house was all empty?
Hollow is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Hollow: The tree was hollow, providing a perfect shelter for small animals. The house was all empty: After the family moved out, the house was all empty.
Can I use Hollow and The house was all empty interchangeably?
Not always. Hollow and The house was all empty are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.