hueco
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “hueco” mean in English?
hollow — having an empty space inside; also fig. lacking real substance
hollow — having an empty space inside; also fig. lacking real substance (promesa hueca, victoria hueca)
Example sentences
El discurso presidencial estuvo lleno de palabras huecas que no se concretaron en ninguna medida real.
The presidential speech was full of hollow words that were not translated into any real measure.
Bajo esa fachada de seguridad se escondía un argumento hueco que no resistía el menor escrutinio crítico.
Behind that façade of confidence lay a hollow argument that could not withstand the slightest critical scrutiny.
How to use it
Hueco/a means 'hollow' — literally empty inside; figuratively lacking real substance or meaning. Common collocations: promesa hueca, victoria hueca, discurso hueco, palabras huecas. Ser/estar: ser for intrinsic hollowness ('el árbol es hueco'); estar for temporary or assessed state ('ese argumento está hueco'). The figurative use is very common in journalism and politics.
Common mistake
Hueco ≠ vacío: vacío means empty (a container with nothing in it); hueco specifically implies a hollowness that was meant to contain something meaningful but doesn't. Hueco in figurative use is always evaluative.