SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
superficial
adjective
Concerned only with surface features rather than depth or substance.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Lacking depth
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSuperficial gives little attention to underlying substance. Cursory chiefly describes a brief examination, while glib adds an appearance of easy but shallow fluency.
RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The superficial family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
superficialitynoun
A lack of depth or attention to underlying meaning or substance.
Lack of depth
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
The review's superficiality became clear when it praised the cover but ignored the argument.
A student's review of an invented adventure story showed superficiality when it listed costumes and scenery but ignored the central conflict between the characters.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See superficial in use
A superficial review missed the essay's central contradiction.
A superficial inspection praised the shiny boxes without examining the incomplete sign-out system inside them.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license