Definitions

superficial

[soo-per-fish-uhl] / ˌsu pərˈfɪʃ əl /

ADJECTIVE

without depth, detail

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cursory frivolous one-dimensional perfunctory silly sketchy slight trivial

WEAK

apparent casual cosmetic depthless desultory empty evident exterior external flash flimsy general glib half-baked hasty hurried ignorant inattentive lightweight nodding on the surface ostensible outward partial passing peripheral quick-fix seeming shallow shoal skin-deep slapdash smattery summary surface tip of the iceberg uncritical warped

Antonyms

STRONGEST

complete important mature sensible serious significant thoughtful wise

WEAK

analytical careful deep detailed genuine thorough

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Siri’s capabilities will allow it to read on-screen text in any app, but that’s superficial.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

What we may not have realized—us non-historians—is how superficial some of our education has been.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

"People think that dance music is superficial, but they've got it all wrong," she wrote in a press release.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Her intervention brought renewed focus to the first couple’s friendship with Epstein, which Trump described as superficial and noted that “overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.”

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

“They’re modern and adapting and moving forward. It’s not about superficial appearances or stereotypes, and it’s not about living in the past —it’s about honoring that past by building a future. . . .”

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Vocabulary lists containing superficial

100 Top "SAT" Words

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2

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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5

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