tip of the iceberg

Cultural  

1. Only a hint or suggestion of a much larger or more complex issue or problem: “The money missing from petty cash was only the tip of the iceberg of financial mismanagement.” This phrase alludes to the fact that the bulk of a floating iceberg is concealed beneath the water, leaving only a small portion, its tip, visible above.

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tip of the iceberg Idioms  

1. Superficial evidence of a much larger problem, as in Laying off a hundred workers is only the tip of the iceberg. This idiom alludes to the structure of an iceberg, most of whose bulk lies underwater. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tip of the iceberg

Beyaz believes the discoveries represent only the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to finding new ways to strengthen cancer immunotherapy.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

"This name is the tip of the iceberg," Yeni leader Ozgur Ozel told a party meeting on Wednesday, describing the scandal as "the robbery of the century".

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

"What we're looking at in Thornton-Cleveleys at the moment might be seen as something of an outlier. My worry is that it's the tip of the iceberg, it's just the beginning," she added.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

As always, the actual complaints are just the tip of the iceberg.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

The rat she brought to school was only the tip of the iceberg.

From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli

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Related Words

• cursory
• frivolous
• one-dimensional
• perfunctory
• silly
• sketchy
• slight
• trivial

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