ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsSsuperficial
ISEE/SSATmedium
superficial
Meaning: concerned only with what is on the surface, not deep or thorough
superficial in a sentence
How superficial is used in real sentences:
His superficial understanding of the topic became obvious once we asked follow-up questions.
Though the wound looked alarming, the doctor explained it was only superficial and would heal within days without stitches.
“Lena found the county's superficial review troubling: it measured green acreage from satellite images but ignored soil depth and nesting sites.”
— from the passage The Meadow Notebook
Synonyms for superficial
Other words for superficial — shallow, cursory and skin-deep — carry the same meaning.
- shallow
- cursory
- skin-deep
Antonyms of superficial
Words that mean the opposite of superficial:
- thorough
- profound
- deep
Where it comes from
From Latin superficies 'surface'
Word parts
- super/sur — over, beyond
superficial: super- (over) + faci (face, surface)
Memory hook
SUPER (above) + FICIAL (surface) — superficial means only on the surface.
Practice superficial in the app