Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for on the surface. Search instead for dirtiest surface.
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.

The UVA radiation in a tanning bed is roughly 15 times that found anywhere on the surface of the planet.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

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

Planetary missions on the surface of Mars are carried out with extreme caution.

From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 2026

Yellow birch leaves blew from the trees and drifted down to rest on the surface.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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.