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

"The size of the triangular moulin fractures on the surface remains unchanged for several years. Radar images show that although they change over time inside the glacier, they are still detectable years after their formation."

From Science Daily

As activity on the surface of the Sun remains high, you can expect it to be another year of colourful sightings of the Northern Lights.

From BBC

The Welsh actor has built a career playing men who appear restrained on the surface but conceal something far more volatile beneath.

From BBC

On the surface, it is a love story between Hal and Madge, but underneath it’s a meditation on class, yearning, broken dreams, and the nearly insurmountable obstacles to leading a life of meaning and purpose.

From The Wall Street Journal

The actual premise of this series may feel less relatable on the surface to most, but the struggle to stretch a dollar like it’s made of industrial-use elastic is a conundrum many of us know all too well these days.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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