How to Use on the surface in a Sentence
on the surface
phrase-
Often, what is on the surface is not the root of the problem.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
-
The weird part is that some of the numbers look OK on the surface.
—Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 23 July 2026
-
There’s a lot going on on the surface and under the surface on this one.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
-
But when the pool was fully drained last week, no such gashes were visible on the surface.
—Matt Viser, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
-
The British are very polite on the surface and very reticent to say things.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 July 2026
-
Excessive clumps on the surface of the lawn can smother new seedlings, Mann says.
—Amanda Tust, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2026
-
There is, on the surface, no part of this that seems to be anything other than agonizing.
—Armando Salguero, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
-
The helipad has the seal of the United States carved on the surface.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
-
And that your primary choice of rescue has crashed on the surface, leaving you even more stranded.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 July 2026
-
Over time, this prevents excessive soap scum and residue from hardening on the surface.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
-
Also test whether a small drop of water beads on the surface or soaks in immediately.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 17 Aug. 2026
-
Use a baking soda paste only as a last result, after testing it on the surface first.
—Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 13 July 2026
-
The fabric also has a spill-resistant treatment that keeps liquid on the surface long enough to blot with a dry cloth.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
-
Pressure on the surface, or movement near the sensor, shifts the magnet relative to the coil.
—New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026
-
The patterns on vinyl floors are only on the surface, while linoleum’s patterns go all the way through the material.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 23 July 2026
-
Although a fairly simple dish on the surface, a pasta salad can very quickly become a mushy, bland mess.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 10 July 2026
-
The objects may appear mundane on the surface, but archaeologists can learn a lot from them.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2026
-
But photos showed that the blue sealant had started to peel away, leaving chunks floating on the surface, while algae growth turned the water green.
—Marco Gacina, NBC news, 2 July 2026
-
What healthcare workers want the world to see with these posts is, on the surface, a defiant support of Fauci.
—Alessandra Hirsch, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
-
While restraint collapse and tantrums can look similar on the surface, their triggers are different.
—Liz Regalia, Parents, 2 Aug. 2026
-
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce just got married, and on the surface, their lives shouldn’t change all that much from before.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 July 2026
-
Personal belongings from the boat could still be seen floating on the surface as crews searched for missing passengers.
—James Ward, USA Today, 15 July 2026
-
The sudden warming has a downward impact on the surface that can last for several weeks, Butler said.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
-
The vaccine targets abnormal proteins called neoantigens that appear on the surface of cancer cells.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2026
-
Simple on the surface Traffic control may sound like a commodity.
—Gustaf Lundberg Toresson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
-
On Wednesday morning, the pond remained murky with some algae and debris visible on the surface of the water.
—Zuri Primos july 8, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026
-
In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with an electric mixer until thickened and lightened in color, and when lifted, the beaters leave a ribbon on the surface.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2026
-
To determine if this is the issue, observe whether water pools on the surface after rainfall instead of soaking into the ground.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 19 July 2026
-
For decades scientists argued the same thing must be happening with plasma on the surface of the Sun, and yet nobody had been able to confirm it.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
-
While on the surface, that’s a startling drop for a nameplate that has long defied the normal premium sports car depreciation curve.
—Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on the surface.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Last Updated:
