shallowness
/ˈʃæləʊnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʃæləʊnəs/ (ame, ipa)
shallowness — noun
1. the quality of having only a small distance from the top to the bottom, or from
the quality of having only a small distance from the top to the bottom, or from the surface of water to the ground under it
The shallowness of the pond meant the children could wade across it safely.
the shallowness of [body of water] for describing physical depth
Wei was surprised by the shallowness of the river near the campsite.
Because of the shallowness of the soil, only small plants could grow there.
The shallowness of the lake became obvious during the dry summer months.
Farmers worried about the shallowness of the well after three weeks without rain.
文法句型
the shallowness of [something]
用法筆記
Typically describes bodies of water, containers, or ground features. Common with of-phrase specifying what is shallow.
常見錯誤
2. the state of taking in only a small amount of air with each breath, often becaus
the state of taking in only a small amount of air with each breath, often because of illness, nervousness, tiredness, or physical weakness
The doctor noticed the shallowness of Nadia's breathing and ordered an oxygen mask.
shallowness of breathing — medical context
Kofi's shallowness of breath worsened as he climbed the steep hill.
The shallowness of Theo's breathing worried the nurse, so she checked his lungs carefully.
Elena felt the shallowness of her own breath as she tried to stay calm during the interview.
- labored breathing
implies difficulty and effort, not just small volume
- superficial breathing
less common; medical term for shallow breaths
- deep breathing
taking in large amounts of air with each breath
文法句型
shallowness of [one's] breath
shallowness of breathing
用法筆記
Most common in medical or health-related writing. Often used with possessive determiners (his, her, their) before breathing or breath.
常見錯誤
3. the quality of lacking serious, careful, or deep thought; a tendency to focus on
the quality of lacking serious, careful, or deep thought; a tendency to focus on unimportant or surface-level matters instead of what really matters
The teacher criticized the shallowness of the students' arguments in the class debate.
shallowness of [someone's arguments] — abstract/superficiality sense
Diego was frustrated by the shallowness of online conversations about important social issues.
The shallowness of the report became clear when the manager asked for specific numbers and data.
Clara avoided friends who showed emotional shallowness and never asked how she was feeling.
The shallowness of the film's plot disappointed critics who had expected something with real meaning.
- superficiality
stronger negative tone; implies concern with image over reality
- emptiness
suggests a total lack of substance rather than just surface-level thinking
- frivolity
focus on lightheartedness and lack of seriousness; less negative in some contexts
- triviality
focus on unimportant details rather than deep thinking
- depth
the quality of having serious, thoughtful ideas
- profundity
formal; great intellectual or emotional depth
文法句型
the shallowness of [someone's argument/thoughts/feelings]
用法筆記
Applies to human qualities (arguments, emotions, thoughts) rather than physical objects. Frequently found in discussions of intellectual character or personality. The adjective shallow is more common than the noun in everyday speech for this meaning.