tip of the iceberg

Cultural  

1. Only a hint or suggestion of a much larger or more complex issue or problem: “The money missing from petty cash was only the tip of the iceberg of financial mismanagement.” This phrase alludes to the fact that the bulk of a floating iceberg is concealed beneath the water, leaving only a small portion, its tip, visible above.

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tip of the iceberg Idioms  

1. Superficial evidence of a much larger problem, as in Laying off a hundred workers is only the tip of the iceberg. This idiom alludes to the structure of an iceberg, most of whose bulk lies underwater. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

But that is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of prices at the World Cup.

From BBC

These lawsuits are the tip of the iceberg.

From Barron's

"We are potentially only seeing the tip of the iceberg," Dr. Tordjman said.

From Science Daily

Officials are combing through thousands of documents and today's material could be the tip of the iceberg.

From BBC

"But those galaxies are only the tip of the iceberg. There's a whole sea of light in the seemingly empty patches in between."

From Science Daily

Related Words

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