surfaces 1 of 2

Definition of surfacesnext
plural of surface
as in exteriors
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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surfaces

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of surface
1
as in emerges
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 rises
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below a submarine surfaced on the starboard side of the aircraft carrier

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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 surfaces
Noun
Elevated surfaces such as trees and bridges are most at risk, while roadways may see some impacts depending on how quickly temperatures drop. Brandi D. Addison, Des Moines Register, 6 Mar. 2026 Think of the generic, smooth plastic surfaces found in many cars. Beth Livesay, AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026 There are certain surfaces and materials that can be damaged by dish soap and instead require special care. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026 This produces a beautiful floating impression and removes the aerodynamic drag brought on by revolving wheel surfaces. New Atlas, 5 Mar. 2026 This level of cleaning is most important to do when someone is ill or when surfaces may be contaminated with disease-causing pathogens. Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026 Tang typically focuses on the biophysics of bacteria, and how the organisms function and grow on wet surfaces. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Mar. 2026 Use expired laundry detergent as a soak agent to deep-clean oven racks, bathtubs, concrete, and other outdoor surfaces. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Feb. 2026 Zakhidova said the virus spreads through direct contact with an infected person, contaminated food or water, and contaminated surfaces. Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
The warning at the entrance was preceded by a towering statue of Pazuzu, a Mesopotamian demon-god that surfaces in Gorillaz videos and art at times. Peter Larsen, Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026 According to Thea Gallagher, clinical psychologist and associate professor at NYU Langone Health, this moment often surfaces realities that were easy to ignore during the parenting years. Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 10 Feb. 2026 The hardships sparked mass emigration and economic collapse, leaving an even deeper mark — one that still surfaces in quiet dinners with strangers like us. Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026 After the game, Durant acknowledged the heightened physicality and intensity that typically surfaces as the season progresses. Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 25 Jan. 2026 The tracker pings location data whenever the shark surfaces, revealing the animal’s movements and migration patterns. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026 Military chronographs in particular played a role in his early thinking about watches—something that surfaces, albeit subtly, in the tactical, all-black aesthetic of the Big Bang. Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 19 Jan. 2026 That honor belonged to a White, bespectacled Wall Street banker named James Truslow Adams, whose name rarely surfaces when King’s greatest speech is cited. John Blake, CNN Money, 18 Jan. 2026 In some firms observers are now paired with technology that surfaces early warning signals, but without clear escalation protocols these systems can generate noise rather than action. Nizan Geslevich Packin, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surfaces
Noun
  • By that time the larvae are long gone, Musah says, and the only remaining insect evidence is the hard shell-like exteriors of the pupae, tools of metamorphosis discarded after the larvae become adult flies.
    Rohini Subrahmanyam, Scientific American, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The project includes repainting exteriors, updating interior and exterior wayfinding, improving landscaping and upgrading common areas, including the renovation of two restrooms.
    Travis Webb, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Sooner or later, meaning emerges sentence by sentence.
    Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 10 Mar. 2026
  • This phase diagram, a chart showing how a material behaves as variables such as doping or temperature change, is crucial for understanding how superconductivity emerges.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Ghana’s gold regulators introduced a new sliding‑scale royalty rate that rises in line with bullion prices, despite opposition from China, the US, and mining executives.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • So, those are — there's — those — the shoes to fill are tough on all fronts.
    Alex Crippen, CNBC, 7 Mar. 2026
  • His rehabilitation process presented challenges on each of those fronts.
    Jay King, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • San Diego shouldn’t balance its books by charging families more every time a fiscal challenge arises.
    Bradley Schnell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026
  • And for insiders who have been monitoring Ellison’s reemergence, the question that often arises is whether or not Annapurna will remain a standalone operation, sign a first-look style deal or even be absorbed by a studio.
    Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • If harm occurs, liability frameworks must be defined with ramifications.
    Victoria Bousis, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026
  • The length of the regular season — and the attrition that occurs over the course of it — beckons for depth.
    Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Hydroplaning happens when a vehicle starts sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
  • When this happens, the brain can interpret the bad feelings that arise as evidence of incompetence or a character flaw.
    Nir Eyal, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • For the first time, there appears to be a commitment that Foxboro will incur no cost and will not have to worry about reimbursement processes.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Taleghan 2 appears to be deeply buried, similar to Fordow and Natanz, and its recent hardening may have prompted the use of extremely heavy bunker-busters.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Surfaces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surfaces. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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