hollow sea: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Maritime; Literary
Quick answer
What does “hollow sea” mean?
A sea state characterized by long, deep, powerful waves that are dangerously steep, with deep troughs and breaking crests, often occurring when wind opposes a strong current, far from land, or after a storm.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sea state characterized by long, deep, powerful waves that are dangerously steep, with deep troughs and breaking crests, often occurring when wind opposes a strong current, far from land, or after a storm.
Metaphorically used to describe a profound, empty, or deeply resonant feeling or situation, akin to a vast and ominous emptiness. It can also refer to a sea condition where waves are unstable and break unpredictably due to the absence of a regular, underlying swell.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. More likely to be encountered in British maritime contexts due to historical naval tradition, but equally understood in American nautical usage.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations. Slight potential for more frequent literary/metaphorical use in British English.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general language. Higher relative frequency in specific domains: sailing manuals, meteorological reports, and classic sea literature in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “hollow sea” in a Sentence
The [ship] battled a/the hollow sea.A hollow sea [verbed: developed, arose, made] sailing perilous.They were caught in a hollow sea.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hollow sea” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The wind against the tide began to hollow the sea, creating a dangerous crossing.
- The storm had hollowed the sea for miles.
American English
- The current hollowed out the sea, making the waves break erratically.
adverb
British English
- The waves crashed hollowly against the hull. (Related but not the phrase itself)
- N/A for the phrase 'hollow sea' as an adverb.
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- They faced hollow, breaking seas for the entire watch.
- The hollow-sea conditions persisted.
American English
- The forecast warned of hollow sea conditions off the cape.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in maritime studies, meteorology, oceanography, and literary analysis of sea narratives.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used by sailors or in dramatic descriptions of weather.
Technical
Core term in marine weather reports, sailing guides, and naval science to describe a specific, hazardous wave formation.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hollow sea”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hollow sea”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hollow sea”
- Using it to mean 'shallow sea' (the opposite of its meaning).
- Using it as a general synonym for 'rough sea' without the specific characteristic of deep, steep troughs.
- Confusing it with 'swell' (hollow sea often lacks a uniform swell).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, quite the opposite. It refers to waves with very deep troughs (the hollows), making them steep and powerful. It describes a state of the water's surface, not its volume.
No, it is a specialised term. The average person would say 'very rough sea' or 'dangerous waves'. You will find it in sailing manuals, old sea stories, and weather bulletins for sailors.
Yes, particularly in literary writing. It can effectively describe profound emptiness, deep resonant sound, or overwhelming, chaotic emotional states (e.g., 'a hollow sea of silence', 'a hollow sea of regret').
The primary danger is the steep, breaking nature of the waves which can capsize vessels, and the deep troughs which can cause a ship to 'fall' into them, leading to severe structural stress or 'pitchpoling' (somersaulting end-over-end).
A sea state characterized by long, deep, powerful waves that are dangerously steep, with deep troughs and breaking crests, often occurring when wind opposes a strong current, far from land, or after a storm.
Hollow sea is usually technical/maritime; literary in register.
Hollow sea: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɒləʊ siː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɑːloʊ siː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To sail into a hollow sea (to enter a perilous situation).”
- “A hollow sea of grief/despair (literary metaphor).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the terrifying sound of a massive wave breaking—the roar seems to come from a deep, HOLLOW cavity in the SEA.
Conceptual Metaphor
DANGER IS A DEEP HOLE / EMOTIONAL DEPTH IS PHYSICAL DEPTH / CHAOS IS A CONFUSED BODY OF WATER.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'hollow sea' MOST appropriately used?