scratch the surface

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.

“But then you scratch the surface a bit more and you look at things like electricity prices.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

The 13 films below only scratch the surface of Corman’s huge filmography, but they do provide a glimpse into his ambition and his sensibility as both a director and a micro studio boss.

From New York Times • May 12, 2024

"And with these mice, not only can we scratch the surface, but we can dig underneath."

From Science Daily • May 6, 2024

Victoria Vyvyan, president of the CLA, said: "These fly-tipping figures barely scratch the surface of a crime that's blighting rural communities, with incidents on private land going unrecorded on a mass scale."

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2024

I could see that I was just beginning to scratch the surface of understanding race in America.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana