surface 1 of 3

noun

ˈsər-fəs How to pronounce surface (audio)
Definition of surfacenext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Here are the best ways to clean off those exterior marks from enameled cast iron without damaging its surface. — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 25 July 2026 Marble surfaces and soft seating silhouettes add to the rooms’ elegance. — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Verb
Larcz is a dual-wearable system, with one device worn and one placed in the environment, that surfaces the best times for natural light each morning. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026 Frustration around responsibilities can surface when the Sagittarius moon faces off with Mars. — Usa Today, USA Today, 25 July 2026
Adjective
Further, healthy conflict serves to challenge assumptions, surface unintended consequences and improve strategic judgment. — Terina Allen, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Audiences Were Never in One Place The shift toward multi-surface creation isn’t just happening on the creator side. — Stephanie Hind, Rolling Stone, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for surface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surface
  1. exterior
  2. emerge
  3. rise
  4. superficial
  5. front
  6. arise
  7. shallow
  8. appear
Noun
  • In your periphery to the left, a spacewalker traverses the exterior of the station.
    — Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 26 July 2026
  • While the exterior remains camouflaged, the interior reveals a spacious four-seater with ample luggage capacity and a 97-liter frunk.
    — James Morris, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of exterior
Verb
  • Moreover, with new and different form factors emerging, consumers have even more choices, ranging from rings and bracelets to glasses and watches.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • When Mike Tomlin resigned last winter, leaving the Steelers searching for a coach for the first time in almost two decades, McCarthy emerged as a contender.
    — Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of emerge
Verb
  • That could be a bad sign for Everton Blair, the former Gwinnett County School Board chairman who needs a strong turnout from his home county in order to rise to the top of the five-person contest.
    — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 24 July 2026
  • The number of victims is expected to keep rising as people desperately dig through the rubble, with little help from authorities.
    — Syra Ortiz-Blanes, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
Definition of rise
Adjective
  • Ferrell, Henchy and David Gordon Green all previously worked on Eastbound & Down, a sports comeback series with enough superficial similarities to underline how toothless The Hawk and especially its characters are.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026
  • Screenings are inconsistent or superficial, resulting in a lack of follow-up for people with problematic drinking.
    — Isabella Cueto, STAT, 14 July 2026
Definition of superficial
Noun
  • The van, with its battered front resting against a tree, could still be seen at the scene Sunday morning.
    — Geir Moulson, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • The officials said both sides in Yemen’s civil war were mobilizing forces along the front.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 26 July 2026
Definition of front
Verb
  • The trial date could still be delayed by disputes over classified evidence and other complications arising from the extraordinary case.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2026
  • For Birney, well-regarded if hardly widely known, an unexpected secondary issue has arisen as more people encounter Blue Film.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
Definition of arise
Adjective
  • When the boat leaves the shallow saw grass marshes for a 90-foot-deep natural sinkhole called Gator Lake, get your camera ready.
    — Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • Lights are typically shone from boats in shallow water so bullynetters can spot the lobsters on the bottom.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Definition of shallow
Verb
  • But Tortorella stood by his decision not to turn to Adin Hill, who won the Cup with the 2023 team but hadn’t appeared in a game since April 9.
    — Joe Smith, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Getty Images Recent disease outbreaks across the globe may appear unrelated—a resurgence of measles in the United States, a persistent foodborne Cyclospora outbreak and Ebola spreading in parts of Africa.
    — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of appear

Phrases Containing surface

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surface
surfaced
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Cite this Entry

“Surface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surface. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of surface for Spanish Speakers

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