ring hollow

ring hollow (third-person singular simple present rings hollow, present participle ringing hollow, simple past rang hollow, past participle rung hollow)

1. (idiomatic) To seem to be false or implausible; to be unconvincing.
   • 1901, W. Somerset Maugham, chapter 9, in The Hero:

     In his own ears the words he spoke rang hollow, awkward, even impertinent. He could say nothing which did not seem hideously supercilious.

• ring false

• ring true