superficial
An explanation about the word "superficial".
Superficial means dealing with or concerned only with surface-level information or appearance. It's not about digging deeper to find out what's really going on.
You might use this word when describing a conversation that stays on the topic of how someone looks, but never asks about their personality or feelings. For example, "The interview was superficial; it only asked about her fashion choices and didn't explore any meaningful topics." You can also use it to talk about an article or book that focuses too much on trivial details instead of providing a balanced view. A TV show might be called superficial if it only portrays shallow relationships between characters without exploring deeper themes. In all these cases, you're pointing out that something is lacking depth and insight.
How common is "superficial"?
It appears most frequently in academic texts and less often in other writings.
noun
(chiefly in plural) A surface detail.
Example: He always concentrates on the superficials and fails to see the real issue.
adjective
Of or pertaining to the surface.
Real examples of "superficial" in context
