superficial

[soo-per-fish-uhl] / ˌsu pərˈfɪʃ əl /

ADJECTIVE

without depth, detail

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cursory frivolous one-dimensional perfunctory silly sketchy slight trivial

WEAK

apparent casual cosmetic depthless desultory empty evident exterior external flash flimsy general glib half-baked hasty hurried ignorant inattentive lightweight nodding on the surface ostensible outward partial passing peripheral quick-fix seeming shallow shoal skin-deep slapdash smattery summary surface tip of the iceberg uncritical warped

Antonyms

STRONGEST

complete important mature sensible serious significant thoughtful wise

WEAK

analytical careful deep detailed genuine thorough

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.

Remember, too, that while all this pop culture guides him, it does so per his most superficial interpretations.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Siri’s capabilities will allow it to read on-screen text in any app, but that’s superficial.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

On a very superficial level, yes, it's true that James Hunt had more total control of his car 50 years ago than Lando Norris does now.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

The video includes photos of superficial scratches on the vehicle’s expensive leather seats and door panel.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

Luckily, merely a superficial grasp was needed to see why the TMV X-ray picture suggested a helix with a turn every 2 3 A along the helical axis.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

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