as in exterior
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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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to emerge
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in superficial
lying on or affecting only the outer layer of something a surface stain on the wood that can easily be removed with a mild detergent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 surface
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026 The Nets are saying Fernández and his staff did enough beneath the surface to earn far more than a polite show of support. —C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 As the Moon moves into Cancer, your focus shifts to one on one dynamics, and unspoken expectations can surface quickly. —Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026 Destroyer Squadron 15 said the war game improved overall interoperability among the four forces in advanced maneuvering scenarios, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, information sharing and maritime operations. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for surface
Noun
Either way, bee hotels of any sort should be secured firmly to a flat, solid surface that doesn’t sway in the breeze. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026 The Nets are saying Fernández and his staff did enough beneath the surface to earn far more than a polite show of support. —C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
Earlier this year, new allegations against Jackson surfaced. —Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 As the Moon moves into Cancer, your focus shifts to one on one dynamics, and unspoken expectations can surface quickly. —Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The proposal includes a tennis center with multi-surface courts, hotels, water polo facilities, retail, a wellness center and stadium to host soccer matches. —Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026 Destroyer Squadron 15 said the war game improved overall interoperability among the four forces in advanced maneuvering scenarios, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, information sharing and maritime operations. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for surface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surface
Noun
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The Hypersail reflects the design DNA of the nameplate, with a sleek carbon-fiber exterior that delivers in terms of aesthetics as well as aerodynamics and hydrodynamics.— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2026
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Well, my perspective on it is that there’s always stuff going on in the exterior.— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Did a more interesting actor than Taylor emerge in the late 1980s and early 1990s?— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
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What emerged as one of the great tandems in NFL history began with Veach in 2004 and 2005 serving as a training camp intern for Reid’s Eagles.— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Other important ceremonial garments are also on display, including the Queen’s wedding dress, from 1947, another Hartnell creation that incorporated not just the white rose of the House of York but also featured orange blossoms, a symbol of fertility.— Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
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Areas near the river from just east of O’Hare International Airport north to the Wisconsin border were under a flood warning due to the river’s rising levels, according to the National Weather Service.— Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Those two standout episodes are also largely separated from the country club settling, which too often opens the door for slightly superficial jabs at the club’s vapid members.— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
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As in this moisturizing CeraVe cream, beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) is able to penetrate past superficial layers to turn skin into a smooth canvas while fading age spots and hyperpigmentation.— Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Run up there, get to the front.— John Kenney, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
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Terrence Smith and the woman were in the middle of a heated argument in front of a building on Eastern Parkway near Utica Ave.— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Andrew Lee, the founder of Tasklet, told CBS News that such problems can arise when a user prompt gives the AI conflicting instructions.— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
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But Roberts didn’t rule out having Ohtani just pitch if a similar situation arises again.— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The whale, which has been nicknamed Timmy by local media, is lying in shallow waters near the eastern German town of Wismar and has barely moved for days.— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
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As the baitfish head shallow to soak up the sun, the bass won’t be far behind.— Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Reina Friedman Watts, who appears in the documentary as one of the former producers on The Jerry Springer Show, admits that background checks were not performed on contestants.— Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
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The Penguins' 11th overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft, Ben Kindel, is set to become the youngest Penguins player to appear in a Stanley Cup Playoff game since Jordan Staal in 2007.— Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/surface. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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