superficial
Americanadjective
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being at, on, or near the surface.
a superficial wound.
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of or relating to the surface.
superficial measurement.
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external or outward.
a superficial resemblance.
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concerned with or comprehending only what is on the surface or obvious.
a superficial observer.
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shallow; not profound or thorough.
a superficial writer.
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apparent rather than real.
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insubstantial or insignificant.
superficial improvements.
adjective
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of, relating to, being near, or forming the surface
superficial bruising
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displaying a lack of thoroughness or care
a superficial inspection
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only outwardly apparent rather than genuine or actual
the similarity was merely superficial
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of little substance or significance; trivial
superficial differences
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lacking originality or profundity
the film's plot was quite superficial
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(of measurements) involving only the surface area
Usage
What does superficial mean? Superficial describes something as being of or related to the surface, as a scratch on your arm would be a superficial wound. Superficial can describe something that is literally close to a surface, such as a small cut, or figuratively close to the surface. When you and your sibling have the same nose shape and same eye color but don’t otherwise look like each other, you superficially look like each other. The sameness doesn’t go very far. Example: This article is very superficial, barely sharing any details about the event.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of superficial
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English superfyciall, from Late Latin superficiālis, equivalent to Latin superfici(ēs) superficies + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Anything superficial has to do with the surface of something. If you're judging a book by its cover, you're being superficial. People who worry too much about their clothes and hair may also be considered superficial. The word superficial has to do with appearances and the surface. If a car is in an accident, but it only has a few scratches, you could say it has superficial damage, because the important parts are OK. If you just glance at a movie for a second, your opinion will be more superficial than the opinion of someone who watched the whole film closely. Superficial can have a negative flavor; calling someone superficial is saying that they are shallow and care too little about meaningful things.
Vocabulary lists containing superficial
100 Top "SAT" Words
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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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 most consistent connection between superficial white matter health and cognitive performance involved language.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Researchers do not yet know whether deterioration of superficial white matter begins before gray matter loss, develops alongside it, or precedes measurable cognitive decline.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Linton miraculously walked away with only superficial injuries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
But he also wasn’t worried, viewing it as a superficial fix that wouldn’t last.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
He writes to Jo that at times he loves everybody and at other times everything seems stupid, petty, superficial.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
