surfacing

American

[sur-fuh-sing] / ˈsɜr fə sɪŋ /

noun

the action or process of giving a finished surface to something.
the material with which something is surfaced.
the act or an instance of rising to the surface of a body of water.

Etymology

Origin of surfacing

First recorded in 1855–60; surface + -ing ¹

Vocabulary lists containing surfacing

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If the same concern keeps surfacing in different forms, the conversation hasn’t actually happened yet.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026

Internal complaints—about anything from bullying and policy violations to performance issues and workplace violence—are surfacing with increasing frequency, data suggest.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

The issues surfacing in Little Lake echo the dynamic in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

Reed hopes to soon install an infrared camera on the bay's Angel Island to monitor whales surfacing at night and in high traffic areas.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

Emerging from prayer is like surfacing from underwater.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023