surface 1 of 3

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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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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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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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
My eyes shrunk to slits, trying to spot the glow sticks that The Medellín Cartel had affixed to their bounty, which slowly lit up the water’s surface like fluorescent fireflies. Martin Suarez, Rolling Stone, 13 Sep. 2025 Polishing and setting diamonds on uneven surfaces is a rare skill and Chopard does it all in-house. Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
Cothren, then his chief of staff, resigned shortly after news of the sexualy explicit messages surfaced. Amber Roberson, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Sep. 2025 Others have surfaced examples of individuals making threats of political violence. Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
This wet-dry vacuum can tackle literally any mess with a multi-surface wet roller head, a hair de-tangler, and a dust detect sensor. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 8 Aug. 2025 With modern farming, and its use of pesticides and herbicides, surface microbial communities often suffer. New Atlas, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for surface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surface
Noun
  • The exterior features a discrete zippered laptop pocket on the back, a stretchy mesh water bottle holder on the side, and a slim, zippered front compartment perfect for stashing your keys, passport, and phone.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The exterior features a stacking compatible lid, is riddled with loops for hanging accessories or other bags onto, and there are both an open and a zippered pocket.
    Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Israel, a nation which Kirk was a vocal supporter of, has also emerged as a flashpoint following his death.
    Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
  • A day after Utah prosecutors unveiled formal charges against the suspect in the assassination of Kirk, no evidence has emerged connecting 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with any outside group.
    Trevor Hunnicutt, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Colorado River and the two reservoirs have been suffering because of a multidecade drought in the West intensified by climate change, rising demand and overuse.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Stellarium Venus Begins To Fade September sees Venus rise closer to sunrise.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Although childish and superficial, his renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War doesn’t telegraph a love of peace.
    Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The Japanese capital is a global leader in wellness innovation, where spas prioritize holistic health over superficial beauty, utilizing cutting-edge, non-invasive therapies.
    Terry Elward, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At one point, a character is forced to stand in front of an automatic football launcher and take a series of pigskins to the cranium, each of which is shot at him with increasing speed.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
  • For a Buffs front that struggled to stop the run against its heavyweight opponents so far in Georgia Tech and Houston, CU can’t let Harris break free for big gains or consistently rip off chunk runs that keep the ‘Pokes in the game.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The zillion-dollar question then arises as to how else the code can be fixed?
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • But organic compounds can arise from either living organisms or nonbiological chemistry, making their origin uncertain.
    Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Tatis reached on a one-out single, went to second on an errant pick-off throw by Mets rookie starter Jonah Tong and to third on a wild pitch before sprinting home on Arraez’s shallow fly ball to left.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Much of the time, the lagoons would have been calm, with shallow waters.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Artamonov, appearing before a magistrate judge in federal court in Maryland, was released on $300,000 bail with instructions to have no contact with victims or potential trial witnesses.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Getty Images Why Saturn’s Rings Appear Closed Earlier this year, Saturn’s rings appeared to vanish.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Surface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surface. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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