the tip of the iceberg

noun phrase

: a small part of something (such as a problem) that is seen or known about when there is a much larger part that is not seen or known about

The news is shocking, but we may find out that the stories we've heard so far are just the tip of the iceberg.

Examples of the tip of the iceberg in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. —

Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026 Meanwhile, the incidents to emerge so far may be only the tip of the iceberg. —

Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026 That was only the tip of the iceberg. —

Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026 But that is just the tip of the iceberg. —

Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the tip of the iceberg

Browse Nearby Words

thetin

the tip of the iceberg

Thetis

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Style

“The tip of the iceberg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20tip%20of%20the%20iceberg. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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