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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of surface
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2026
The handloom process produces layered, tactile surfaces that celebrate rawness and rusticity.
—Allison Hatfield, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
The messages reveal not only a dispute over brokerage work but also Dallas leaders’ heavy reliance on outside experts who supported relocation options as details of the stay-or-go debate surfaced publicly.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Destroyer Squadron 15 said the war game improved overall interoperability among the four forces in advanced maneuvering scenarios, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, information sharing and maritime operations.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surface
Noun
Mirrors were such a precious commodity in the heyday of the Venetian Republic that the assassins were dispatched to, well, dispatch any defectors who left La Serenissima and tried to take the secrets of creating that mesmerizing, reflective surface along with them.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2026
The handloom process produces layered, tactile surfaces that celebrate rawness and rusticity.
—Allison Hatfield, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
The schism surfaced in interviews the Union-Tribune did with nearly 30 veterans representing the Navy, Marines, Army and Air Force, men and women whose ages ranged from the early 30s to early 80s.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
The messages reveal not only a dispute over brokerage work but also Dallas leaders’ heavy reliance on outside experts who supported relocation options as details of the stay-or-go debate surfaced publicly.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The proposal includes a tennis center with multi-surface courts, hotels, water polo facilities, retail, a wellness center and stadium to host soccer matches.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Destroyer Squadron 15 said the war game improved overall interoperability among the four forces in advanced maneuvering scenarios, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, information sharing and maritime operations.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surface
Noun
-
Presence of stones Classified as a thescelosaurid, this bipedal dinosaur was part of a lineage found across East Asia and North America, potentially characterized by a fuzzy exterior.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The restoration included extensive repair work to the building’s brick exterior, new denim insulation and a rooftop photovoltaic array to improve energy efficiency.—
Mark Lamster,
Dallas Morning News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yet Grace is the one who wakes up in space, and this story emerges nonlinearly, narrative flashbacks like bursts of memory ripping through his brain, discombobulated after a long intergalactic coma.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
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These technologies are considered essential for countering emerging missile threats, particularly those that travel at extremely high speeds and are difficult to detect with traditional systems.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lambermont pushed back on the assertion that data centers are squarely to blame for rising electricity bills.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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It is also called Resurrection Sunday and is celebrated as the day Jesus rose from the dead.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Still, the researcher Shaoyu Yuan thinks that even superficial trends like Chinamaxxing may serve an unexpected purpose.—
Ashish Valentine,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
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Currently, the simulator cannot train clinicians to diagnose superficial endometriosis.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her custom Giorgio Armani Privé gown was a sleeveless ivory silk that looked demure enough from the front, but had a skin-baring split down both sides.—
Gretta Monahan,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
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Further on the tech front, OpenAI is focusing employee and investor attention on its enterprise business as the artificial intelligence startup gears up to go public, potentially by the end of the year, CNBC has learned.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Questions are answered, only for more to arise again through that process.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The next phases of the website redesign will focus on fixing issues that arise, as well as ongoing maintenance and upkeep.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Steep, shallow slopes with rocky features — including cliffs and large outcroppings — are often the first areas to see wet avalanche activity.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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Much of the Persian Gulf coastline is too shallow to support large tankers.—
Saige Miller,
NPR,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The project does not appear to have been filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as of Thursday, but an affiliated project's TDLR filings offer more insights into the site development plans.—
Julianna Duennes Russ,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
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Nam said the cause was not immediately known, but the blaze appeared to have spread rapidly, with witnesses reporting an explosion.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surface. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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