surface 1 of 3

as in exterior
an outer part or layer the surface of just about everything in the kitchen was covered with soot after we put the grease fire out

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surface

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to emerge
to come to one's attention especially gradually or unexpectedly no information regarding the stolen car has surfaced since the police found it abandoned on a country road

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2
as in to rise
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below a submarine surfaced on the starboard side of the aircraft carrier

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surface

3 of 3

adjective

as in superficial
lying on or affecting only the outer layer of something a surface stain on the wood that can easily be removed with a mild detergent

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of surface
Noun
My eyes shrunk to slits, trying to spot the glow sticks that The Medellín Cartel had affixed to their bounty, which slowly lit up the water’s surface like fluorescent fireflies. Martin Suarez, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025 Polishing and setting diamonds on uneven surfaces is a rare skill and Chopard does it all in-house. Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
Audio has surfaced of a phone call between Charlotte train stabbing suspect Decarlos Brown and his sister, Tracey Brown, recorded just days after he was taken into custody for allegedly stabbing 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska to death on a light rail train. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025 Four days of sales coming off the July 4 holiday weekend kept us glued to our browsers, surfacing some of the best offers of the year on all the top tech. K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
This wet-dry vacuum can tackle literally any mess with a multi-surface wet roller head, a hair de-tangler, and a dust detect sensor. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 8 Aug. 2025 With modern farming, and its use of pesticides and herbicides, surface microbial communities often suffer. New Atlas, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for surface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surface
Noun
  • Under those sturdy leather exteriors, a Gore-tex liner keeps you high and dry, preventing water from entering while shedding unwanted moisture.
    Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Sailing yacht designer Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design is responsible for the exterior.
    Katia Damborsky, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Wilson, who emerged as a songwriter married to Sixpence None the Richer frontwoman Leigh Nash, was initially championed by Music City's alt-pop station Lightning 100 and now may earn one of mainstream country's most notable awards.
    Marcus K. Dowling, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The likes of Kyle MacLachlan and Linda Evangelista, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Meisel, and the late Bill Cunningham are emerging from the Marc Jacobs show.
    Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Colorado River and the two reservoirs have been suffering because of a multidecade drought in the West intensified by climate change, rising demand and overuse.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Stellarium Venus Begins To Fade September sees Venus rise closer to sunrise.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Strong applications are not built on superficial prestige or last-minute resume padding.
    Liz Doe Stone, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • See, this is the problem with our superficial Instagram culture.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Stop forcing parents to choose between their careers and their families, and instead empower them to succeed on both fronts.
    Liz Teran, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Constructed of a mix of suede and faux leather, the taupe shoes are accented by a white S logo on the side and a lace-up front.
    Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Experts previously stressed to Parents the importance of having ongoing chats with teens about social media, their activity on different platforms, and any issues that may arise.
    Anna Halkidis, Parents, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Initially, conflict with partners and close friends might arise, especially this morning.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • These mums feature small flowers that grow in a dome shape and have stolons, or shallow runners, at their base.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
  • O’Steen bludgeoned Marissa Grimes, dug a shallow grave for her under his house in west Fort Worth and for 10 days lived above where police later sawed open the floor to expose Grimes’ decomposing 135-pound body, prosecutors have argued that the evidence shows.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Videos from bystanders appeared to capture on person running across a rooftop of a nearby building on the campus, called the Losee Center, located around 140 yards from the stage were Kirk was speaking from.
    Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The photo released shows what appears to be a man wearing a largely black outfit with an American flag on his shirt, a black cap, and black sunglasses.
    Connor Greene, Time, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Surface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surface. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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