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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of surface
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
The technical term is triboelectricity, which arises from the accumulation of opposite electric charges on the surfaces of two different materials due to contact with each other.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 6 May 2026
Old patterns, fears or control issues are surfacing.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Keith Cooper, Space.com, 29 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for surface
Noun
Rather than replacing the island’s aging pipe system, the approach would largely rely on the existing drainage network to collect rainwater and funnel it into wells, where it would be injected below the surface into porous rock formations.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
The technical term is triboelectricity, which arises from the accumulation of opposite electric charges on the surfaces of two different materials due to contact with each other.
—ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Portraits of him as a cheating drunk, who was unfaithful to his first wife, Julia Nye, also surfaced.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 6 May 2026
Old patterns, fears or control issues are surfacing.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Adjective
Mura’s research team suggests that the sub-surface and mantle of Io may be like a sponge, in the sense that it is filled with pores filled with magma.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 29 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for surface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surface
Noun
-
The sign on the building’s exterior has been replaced by a banner from fellow local Mexican brand El Semáforo, which specializes in tacos and birria dishes.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
6 May 2026
-
The Abbey Resort Fontana, Wisconsin Set on 90 acres with a distinctive A-frame exterior, The Abbey Resort is Lake Geneva’s only full-service resort and boasts a long history as a Midwest vacation spot.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
And social media has emerged as a key platform for public advocacy over the past few years, raising awareness around food safety and mislabeling in India.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
-
The note emerged from the court records of Epstein’s onetime cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione, a former police officer who is serving four consecutive life sentences for a 2016 quadruple murder.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The crackdown—which came amid a shrinking economy, rising costs, tax increases, and Ukrainian drone strikes on the country’s energy sector—led to a rare outburst of public discontent and an equally uncommon acknowledgment of the dissatisfaction from Putin.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
Gas prices have surged and inflation is rising.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Libras can be superficial because the sign is ruled by Venus, which appreciates beauty, as Sarah calls Bonnie out for after her surgery.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
-
Visible to them on the other side of the curtain, separated only by that superficial barrier, was Tim Connelly.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The Chicago White Sox surrendered five runs in the second inning on Wednesday, falling 8-2 to the Los Angeles Angels in front of 23,338 at Angel Stadium.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Last year, on Archie's 6th birthday, Meghan shared a photo of her son looking out at the ocean with the sun in front of him.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Instead, get familiar with the industry, understand how governments subsidize or support it, and spot the opportunities likely to arise from the disruption.—
Solo Ceesay,
Rolling Stone,
7 May 2026
-
That means clear expectations, prompt action when problems arise and support that helps schools fix problems before students are harmed.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The race there begins somberly in the museum before runners bound up one flight of stairs into a hallway that leads into the main stairwell; from there, the steps settle into continuous, shallow right turns providing a repetitive, hypnotic cadence.—
Michelle Sinclair Colman,
Curbed,
7 May 2026
-
Water sloshed across a shallow, rocky shelf, sweeping away the sediments there, along with the algae that serves as the primary food source for this species.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
With the house emptied of living (and costumed) guests, its furnishings, in all their liveliness, appear only to mask an unnatural torpor.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Its gibbous disk appears small and featureless.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Surface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surface. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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