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

Over the course of its wildly wonderful seven seasons, the CW series saw its cast solve murders, face off against cults, go to prison, fight bears, go back in time, and gain superpowers — and, somehow, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. —Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025

This lineup is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of programming, with more musicians and performers announced this fall, as well as 500 more sessions and speakers. —Angelique Jackson, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, or the top of the waterfall. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025

But that’s actually just the tip of the iceberg of what’s new in The Ivalice Chronicles, as there are some pretty comprehensive tweaks to combat, menus, jobs, and more. —Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025