Meaning & use
superficial
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Meanings
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
Not thorough or deep; concerned only with obvious things and lacking careful thought.
Grammar: Can come before a noun or after a linking verb: a superficial answer, or the answer was superficial.
Patterns
- superficial knowledge of something
He has only a superficial knowledge of French history.
The report gave a superficial account of the problem.
Their friendship stayed superficial; they never talked about anything serious.
adjectivebefore a nounmedical
Affecting only the outer layer or surface of something, and not going deeper.
Grammar: Usually before a noun in this physical sense: a superficial wound.
The cut was superficial and needed only a bandage.
There was some superficial damage to the car's paint.
The nurse said the burn was superficial.
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
Concerned only with appearances and shallow matters, rather than real qualities.
Grammar: Used about a person or their values: she is superficial.
He was too superficial to care about anything except fashion.
It's superficial to judge people by their cars.
Her superficial charm hid a cold heart.
Word forms
| comparative | more superficial |
|---|---|
| superlative | most superficial |
Common combinations
- superficial knowledge
- With only superficial knowledge, he should not give advice.
- superficial wound
- It was a superficial wound and healed in days.
- superficial resemblance
- The two cars have a superficial resemblance but different engines.
- superficial changes
- The company made only superficial changes to its policy.
- superficial charm
- The salesman's superficial charm did not fool me.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shallow
- Shallow is more blunt and often describes a person's character, while superficial can describe a surface or a quick look.
- cursory
- Cursory describes a quick, hasty look or check, but it does not describe a person's nature.
- surface
- Surface is a plain, neutral word for the outer layer and does not criticize anyone's thinking.
- skin-deep
- Skin-deep is informal and mostly used for beauty or feelings that go no further than appearance.
Opposites
Word family
- superficially adverb
- in a way that concerns only the surface
- superficiality noun
- the quality of lacking depth
- superficies noun
- the outer surface of something, a rare technical word
Commonly confused: superficial or superfluous?
superficial vs superfluous
Superfluous means more than is needed, while superficial means on the surface or lacking depth.
Practice
The doctor said the injury was only ______ and would heal without stitches.
Choose one answer.
Superficial means affecting only the surface, which fits an injury that heals easily. Superfluous means unnecessary and does not describe an injury.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “superficial”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.