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hollow
When used as an adjective to describe feelings or words (like "hollow promises"), it means the person is not being honest or sincere. As a verb, it is almost always followed by the word "out" (e.g., "hollow out") when describing the act of removing the inside of an object.
💬Casual Conversation
🎬Tuesday afternoon, Sarah is on her third coffee while David is trying to "synergize" via text.
David Smith
Just read the client's feedback. Their praise feels a bit hollow, don't you think?
Sarah
They're just playing for time. I'm totally burnt out on this project.
💡
David uses "hollow" to describe insincere praise from a client. Sarah responds with the idiom "playing for time" (stalling) and the phrase "burnt out" to indicate her extreme exhaustion, reflecting their manager-subordinate dynamic.