Meaning & use
to read superficially
Last updated
Meaning
phraseintransitive
To read something quickly and without paying close attention to details or meaning.
Grammar: No object is needed; you can say 'He read superficially' but not 'He read superficially the book' (instead: 'He read the book superficially').
Patterns
- read superficially
- read something superficially
She read superficially and missed the main argument of the article.
For the exam, he only read superficially, so he couldn't answer the detailed questions.
I tend to read superficially when I'm tired, and then I have to go back and read again.
Common combinations
- read superficially
- He read superficially and didn't notice the mistake.
- only read superficially
- She only read superficially, so she got a low grade.
- read superficially through something
- I read superficially through the report before the meeting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- skim
- Skim means to read quickly to get the main idea, often deliberately; reading superficially can suggest a lack of depth or care.
- scan
- Scan means to look over quickly for specific information; reading superficially is more general and can imply not understanding well.
Opposites
Word family
- superficial adjective
- Not deep or thorough; only on the surface.
- superficiality noun
- The quality of being superficial.
Commonly confused: to read superficially or skim?
to read superficially vs skim
Skimming is a purposeful quick read to get the gist; reading superficially may be careless or unintentional.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'to read superficially' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is intransitive, so it does not take a direct object. 'He read superficially to find the answer quickly' is correct. The other options incorrectly place a direct object after 'read superficially'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to read superficially”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.