surface

noun

sur·face | \ˈsər-fəs

Definition of surface

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : the exterior or upper boundary of an object or body on the surface of the water the earth's surface

2 : a plane or curved two-dimensional locus of points (such as the boundary of a three-dimensional region) plane surface surface of a sphere

3a : the external or superficial aspect of something trouble lurks below the surface

b : an external part or layer sanded the rough surfaces

on the surface

: to all outward appearances

surface

adjective

Definition of surface (Entry 2 of 3)

1a : of, located on, or designed for use at the surface of something

b : situated, transported, or employed on the surface of the earth surface mail surface vehicles

2 : appearing to be such on the surface only : superficial surface friendships

surface

verb

surfaced; surfacing

Definition of surface (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to give a surface to: such as

a : to plane or make smooth

b : to apply the surface layer to surface a highway

2 : to bring to the surface surface a sunken ship

intransitive verb

1 : to work on or at the surface

2 : to come to the surface

3 : to come into public view : show up letters that have recently surfaced

Other Words from surface Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about surface

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Synonyms & Antonyms for surface

Synonyms: Noun

exterior, face, outside, shell, skin, veneer

Synonyms: Adjective

skin-deep, superficial

Synonyms: Verb

arise, come up, crop (up), emerge, materialize, spring (up)

Antonyms: Noun

inside, interior

Examples of surface in a Sentence

Noun

The painting's surface is covered with fine cracks. The bowl has a shiny surface. The surface of wood was rough. Be careful of icy surfaces on the roads.

Adjective

Despite the surface differences between the two candidates, they are very similar in most ways. a surface stain on the wood that can easily be removed with a mild detergent

Verb

The whale surfaced and then dove back down. The information surfaced many years later. After several years, the actress surfaced in a comedy. The road needs to be surfaced again.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

But there is plenty happening below the surface, most often revealed by Aparicio’s expressive eyes. — Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "Roma, from celebrated director Alfonso Cuarón, is one of the year’s best movies," 20 Nov. 2018 The submarine rests at a depth of 920 meters (more than 3,000 feet) below the surface of the South Atlantic—over three times its safe operating depth and well below the crush depth of the sub. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "Doomed Argentine sub found a year after its disappearance," 19 Nov. 2018 And for good reason: Studies have shown that infrared light waves can penetrate the skin up to 1.5 inches below the surface, and could generate a range of therapeutic effects. — Emma Sarran Webster, Teen Vogue, "Kendall Jenner Received an Infrared Sauna for Her Birthday," 13 Nov. 2018 Leonard also raised concerns that marine and wildlife could be entangled by the net that will hang below the surface. — Fox News, "Massive boom hopes to corral Pacific Ocean's plastic trash," 8 Sep. 2018 Scratching below the surface, there's no evidence to justify these theories. — Salvador Rizzo, chicagotribune.com, "There is an unfounded conspiracy theory about the Supreme Court and Trump Tower Chicago," 14 July 2018 Scratching below the surface, there’s no evidence to justify these theories. — Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, "The thinly-sourced theories about Trump’s loans and Justice Kennedy’s son," 12 July 2018 Musk’s Boring Company, of course, is involved in below-surface tunneling. — Natasha Bach, Fortune, "Elon Musk Would Be 'Happy to Help' Rescue the Thai Boys Stuck in a Cave," 5 July 2018 The boys were located taking shelter on a ledge surrounded by water more than a mile from the cave's main entrance, and about half a mile below the surface. — Kim Hjelmgaard And Thomas Maresca, USA TODAY, "Rescuers start teaching trapped Thai cave boys to swim and dive," 4 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

If dough is sticking to surface, lift it and lightly flour surface. — Lisa Ludwinski, WSJ, "Pies That Bind: Thanksgiving Recipes From the Heartland," 15 Nov. 2018 Even podcasts, which can be more difficult to surface with voice assistants, are seeing a boost. — Rani Molla, Recode, "Voice tech like Alexa and Siri hasn’t found its true calling yet: Inside the voice assistant ‘revolution’," 12 Nov. 2018 While the heat from an evening shower may feel phenomenal on a chilly day, Marchbein advises to limit rinse time to five minutes or less and to use warm—not hot—water, which only adds to surface dehydration. — Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "The Definitive Guide to Preventing Dry Skin—From a Top Dermatologist," 26 Oct. 2018 In 2014, reports of his identity being misused started to surface on tip reports of anti-scam websites like Scamlot.com. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Online Scammers Won't Stop Impersonating This Four-Star Army General," 14 Aug. 2018 This movie outing comes at the same time that reports about how Khloe's family feels about the whole situation start to surface. — Alison Caporimo, Seventeen, "Here's Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson's FULL Relationship Timeline," 26 July 2018 Traditionally, YouTube's algorithm has prioritized a user's personal viewing history, as well as the context of the video that user is currently watching, when deciding what videos to surface next. — Issie Lapowsky, WIRED, "YouTube Debuts Plan to Promote and Fund 'Authoritative' News," 9 July 2018 In these negotiations, new tensions are sure to surface. — Time, "Mexico's New President AMLO and Donald Trump Have Promised Mutual 'Respect.' How Long Can That Last?," 3 July 2018 Several hundred companies responded to the tax cuts by paying workers bonuses or hiking hourly wages, but any significant income growth has yet to surface in the overall economy. — Washington Post, "AP FACT CHECK: Were tax cuts really an ‘economic miracle?’," 30 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'surface.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.