2 syllables: hol, lows. Stress on hol.
/ˈhɑloʊz/
Say it backHollows is the plural of hollow, referring to depressions or cavities in a surface or landscape, or a term for deserted or empty spaces. It can describe physical pits, valleys, or parts of a wooded area, as well as figurative voids. In pronunciation, it’s a two-syllable word with stress on the first syllable: HO-llows.
"The old coins were found in the hollows of the hillside."
"The haunting wind echoed through the hollows of the forest."
"The town’s hollows are mapped as small dry valleys."
pronounced as /ˈhɒloʊz/ in US and UK standard; first syllable stressed, with /ɒ/ like 'hot' or 'pot' and a long /oʊ/ in the second syllable—sonorant -z ending. Mouth starts open for /h/, then rounded lips at /ɒ/; glide into /loʊ/ with a long o sound, finishing with a voiced /z/. In Australian speech it’s similar, often with a slightly rounded /ɒ/ and a non-voiced or soft /z/ depending on formality. Include a brief pause between syllables in careful speech.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (e.g., /ˈhɒloz/ or /ˈhɔləz/ with a reduced second syllable) and shortening the second vowel to /ə/ or /ɪ/. Another frequent error is pronouncing /ɒ/ as /ɑː/ or mixing in a /w/ before the /oʊ/. Correct by keeping stress on the first syllable, producing a clear /ɒ/ or /ɔ/ sound for the first vowel, and making the second syllable a clean /loʊz/ with a distinct long /oʊ/ glide and final /z/.
In US English, /ˈhɒloʊz/ with a potential lighter /z/; in many US dialects the /ɒ/ may approach /ɑ/ as in 'hot' but keeps the /oʊ/ clearly; UK English often has /ˈhɒləz/ with a shorter second vowel, more detached -s. Australian tends toward /ˈhɒləz/ with non-rhoticity influencing any linking sounds and a slightly more centralized /ə/ in fast speech. Key differences: rhoticity, length of the second vowel, and vowel rounding.
The difficulty lies in the two-part vowel sequence /ɒ/ then /oʊ/, requiring a smooth glide without reducing the /ɒ/ into a schwa. Many speakers also over- or under-articulate the /l/ sequence after /h/ or slip into /hɔloz/ without recognizing the long /oʊ/ diphthong. Achieve clarity by isolating the first vowel, ensuring the long /oʊ/ is held, and finishing with a crisp /z/.
A unique feature is the contrast between the short first vowel in quick speech and the long diphthong in the second syllable, creating the characteristic HOH-lohz rhythm. The 'll' cluster in the middle also requires a light but distinct /l/ sound, not a dark or heavy /l/. Emphasize the initial stress and a clean transition to the final voiced fricative /z/.
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US: rhotic influence is subtle in /r/ absent here; focus on /ɒ/ and /loʊz/. UK: /ˈhɒləz/ with more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable; Australian: /ˈhɒləz/ with clearer /ɒ/ and relaxed final /z/. Vowel quality differences: US may use tenser /ɒ/ or /ɑ/; UK often /ɒ/ as open back; AU often /ɒ/ with slightly reduced vowel in quick speech. Consonants: /h/ clearly aspirated; /l/ two successive light taps; /z/ final is voiced fricative.
Hollows derives from the Old English holh, meaning a hollow or pit, with the plural form -owes later in Middle English as hollows. The sense evolved from physical cavities in terrain to more abstract voids or empty spaces. The term appears in medieval and early modern texts describing landscapes, often in poetic or descriptive prose. Over time, hollows also came to denote depressions in man-made surfaces and, in some dialects, small valleys or dells. The word’s semantic shift tracks a general English pattern of forming plurals from -ow/-owe nouns, and its pronunciation also reflects typical English vowel shifts: the first syllable carries primary stress, with a clear /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ depending on accent, followed by a schwa in the second syllable where a mild consonant cluster -llows completes the word. First known use citations appear in geographic descriptions across Middle English texts, with later standardized spellings in Early Modern English dictionaries. In many dialects, hollows may be synonymous with “vales” or “valleys,” though “hollows” emphasizes man-made or naturally sheltered depressions more than broad river valleys. The morphological plural -s marks more than one hollow or hollow-like feature, while in some contexts it functions as a fixed noun phrase representing a type of terrain feature.
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Words that rhyme with "hollows"
-ows sounds
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