superficial
Only on the surface, without going deep.
superficial in a sentence
- The damage was superficial, and the paint hid it completely.
- He has a superficial knowledge of the subject and cannot answer questions.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to superficial?
- Adeep
- Bshallow
- Cdetailed
- Dthorough
Show the answer
B: shallow. The other three mean the opposite of superficial.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to superficial?
- Adeep
- Bcursory
- Cshallow
Show the answer
A: deep. The other three mean nearly the same as superficial.
Words that mean something similar
shallow, cursory
Words that mean the opposite
deep, thorough, detailed
More words about thinking & learning
- thorough: Done carefully and completely, with nothing missed out.
- unanimous: Agreed by every single person, with nobody voting against.
- uncanny: Strange in a way that is hard to explain and slightly spooky.
- unfathomable: Too strange, deep or difficult to understand.
- vague: Not clear or exact.
- valid: Based on good reasoning, or officially acceptable and able to be used.
- verdict: The decision reached at the end of a trial or contest.
- verify: To check that something is really true.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test