Meaning & use
hollow gesture
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Meanings
nouncountable
An action that seems to show good intentions or respect but has no real meaning or useful effect.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a hollow gesture' or 'hollow gestures'. Often used with 'just', 'only', or 'merely'.
Patterns
- a hollow gesture
- make a hollow gesture
- describe something as a hollow gesture
- dismiss something as a hollow gesture
The company's apology felt like a hollow gesture because nothing changed.
Offering free coffee after the long delay seemed like a hollow gesture to the angry passengers.
Critics called the new policy a hollow gesture that would not help poor families.
nouncountabledisapproving
A symbolic act performed only to appear sincere, without any real commitment behind it.
Grammar: Often used in political or diplomatic contexts. Can be modified by 'empty' or 'meaningless' as near-synonyms.
Patterns
- a hollow gesture of support
- a hollow gesture toward something
- seen as a hollow gesture
The president's visit was dismissed as a hollow gesture of support for the victims.
Many saw the handshake as a hollow gesture toward peace, since fighting continued the next day.
Without funding, the promise of reform is just a hollow gesture.
Word forms
| plural | hollow gestures |
|---|
Common combinations
- a hollow gesture
- His donation was seen as a hollow gesture because he never visited the shelter.
- dismiss something as a hollow gesture
- The union dismissed the pay offer as a hollow gesture.
- a hollow gesture of support
- The government's statement was a hollow gesture of support with no money behind it.
- nothing more than a hollow gesture
- The award was nothing more than a hollow gesture to quiet the critics.
- feel like a hollow gesture
- Sending flowers after the accident felt like a hollow gesture.
Synonyms and how they differ
- empty gesture
- Very close in meaning, but 'empty gesture' is slightly more common in everyday speech.
- token gesture
- A small action done to show you are trying, often without real effect; 'token' stresses that it is minimal, while 'hollow' stresses that it lacks sincerity.
- meaningless act
- A broader term for any action with no purpose; 'hollow gesture' specifically suggests an attempt to appear good or respectful.
Word family
- hollowly adverb
- In a way that lacks real feeling or meaning; e.g., 'He laughed hollowly.'
- hollowness noun
- The quality of being without real meaning or sincerity; e.g., 'the hollowness of his promise'.
Commonly confused: hollow gesture or empty promise? hollow gesture or grand gesture?
hollow gesture vs empty promise
An 'empty promise' is a promise not kept, while a 'hollow gesture' is an action that seems kind but has no real effect.
hollow gesture vs grand gesture
A 'grand gesture' is a large, dramatic action meant to impress; it may be sincere, whereas a 'hollow gesture' is insincere or useless.
Practice
The mayor's plan to plant trees was criticized as a ______ because the city had no money to water them.
Choose one answer.
'Hollow gesture' fits best because the plan seemed good but had no real effect due to lack of funding. 'Token gesture' is close but usually means a small symbolic action, not necessarily one that fails. 'Grand gesture' suggests something impressive, and 'kind gesture' is positive, which does not match the criticism.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hollow gesture”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.