SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
superficiality
noun
A lack of depth or attention to underlying meaning or substance.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Lack of depth
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSuperficiality concerns insufficient depth. Frivolity can simply be playful lightness, and triviality concerns limited importance.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See superficiality in use
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.
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