on the surface

Idioms  

1. Superficially, to all outward appearances, as in On the surface he appeared brave and patriotic, but his troops knew better. [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

Things would go back to normal, on the surface, but Rachel would never forget this.

From Literature

The tipping point was, on the surface, a typical small-town dispute.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It's also an opportunity for us, maybe, to get our suits up there before the astronauts actually have to wear them on the surface of the Moon ... this is all going to help take down risk for a subsequent landing."

From BBC

Instead, what they’ve gotten is something far more puzzling: steady retail growth on the surface, paired with an extraordinary buildup of household savings underneath.

From MarketWatch

Lifestyle creep doesn’t always look reckless on the surface — sometimes it’s just a gym upgrade or a few extra dinners out.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

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