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Synonyms

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]

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.

It’s a real business need, sure, and it’s not a horrible idea on the surface.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

The pair developed the Mackaill-Russomano method, which teaches astronauts how to perform CPR on the surface of the moon and Mars, where gravity is weaker than on Earth.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Folan would often describe her early years of marriage and motherhood, in an idyllic white house in a tawny Connecticut suburb, as looking blissful on the surface.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

They interfere with a tiny, syringe-like structure on the surface of cholera bacteria that is used to inject toxins into nearby cells.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

The sub was to approach an enemy ship on the surface, then dive under her, and surface again beyond her on the other side.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.