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

See Examples For:

tip of the iceberg

What we’ve uncovered is just the tip of the iceberg.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

"Since Belgium won, they managed to bury the matter. But these things are just the tip of the iceberg."

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

"We're really just at the tip of the iceberg of seeing the real impact."

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

That could be just the tip of the iceberg that when it comes to further dealmaking, but there are risks for investors that can’t be ignored.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

Bran came up with this: “Rich girl escapes while poor artist drowns when mega-ship sees only the tip of the iceberg and sinks as the crew rearranges the deck chairs while the band plays on.”

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

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