1
as in minimally
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2
as in imperfectly
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Recent Examples of superficially
But the film team didn’t want to superficially incorporate the lesbian experience.
—
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Mar. 2026
The lead manufacturer of PDGF has cautioned that injecting PDGF too superficially at high concentrations or in delicate areas may potentially cause localized collagen nodules, transient swelling, or discoloration.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
The placid romance of Hareton and young Catherine leaves us, superficially, in a peaceful, even hopeful place.
—Radhika Jones, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
Competition cannot be superficially manufactured, and both the causes of and solutions to its recent decline are complex.
—Charlie Hunt, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
Competition cannot be superficially manufactured, and both the causes of and solutions to its recent decline are complex.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2026
Yet after gesturing toward a promising thriller setup, the film soon begins to spin its wheels — doing little to complicate or tighten the melodrama, while only superficially probing its two principal characters as their romance is inevitably reignited.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
Because while those numbers at least superficially suggest waking up the echoes of those dynamic days, the anticipated hiring comes when the Chiefs seem stranded in the past and more in need of fresh approaches than turning back the clock.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
The Thunder won the NBA title last year, and superficially, the team’s rise to the top validates NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ’s strategy to value parity over dynasties.
—Alex Sherman,contessa Brewer, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 17 Mar. 2026
The lead manufacturer of PDGF has cautioned that injecting PDGF too superficially at high concentrations or in delicate areas may potentially cause localized collagen nodules, transient swelling, or discoloration.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
The placid romance of Hareton and young Catherine leaves us, superficially, in a peaceful, even hopeful place.
—Radhika Jones, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
Competition cannot be superficially manufactured, and both the causes of and solutions to its recent decline are complex.
—Charlie Hunt, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026
Competition cannot be superficially manufactured, and both the causes of and solutions to its recent decline are complex.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2026
Yet after gesturing toward a promising thriller setup, the film soon begins to spin its wheels — doing little to complicate or tighten the melodrama, while only superficially probing its two principal characters as their romance is inevitably reignited.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
Because while those numbers at least superficially suggest waking up the echoes of those dynamic days, the anticipated hiring comes when the Chiefs seem stranded in the past and more in need of fresh approaches than turning back the clock.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
The Thunder won the NBA title last year, and superficially, the team’s rise to the top validates NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ’s strategy to value parity over dynasties.
—Alex Sherman,contessa Brewer, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for superficially
Adverb
-
Despite the shutdown, ICE has been minimally impacted because Republican lawmakers approved $75 billion for ICE through another party-line budget reconciliation bill last year.—
Sam Gringlas,
NPR,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Most of those groups don’t use the education system and only minimally use other city services, Zoppo-Sassu said.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
They can be done imperfectly without being done disastrously.—
Leslie John,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Yet, like Bessette’s relationship with the Kennedy family scion, her eternity band is shrouded in mystery—imperfectly recorded through rumors, second-hand accounts, and myths invented by the press and populace.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The image is tightly cropped, the carriage wheels slightly cut off.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Improvements included plenty of new alien ships to battle, as well as an invincibility ability for your ship to make the levels slightly less challenging.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
4 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Latz narrowly lost the battle to be the fifth starter in the rotation to right-hander Kumar Rocker in spring training.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Long shot Wayne’s Law led early, only to be overtaken in the final turn by 6-5 favorite Nearly, who was passed in mid-stretch by The Puma, who narrowly succumbed to Commandment at the wire.—
Clark Spencer,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Missouri’s mid-decade redistricting only marginally changed the lines of the heavily GOP district.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The stock was marginally higher in after hours.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Juries in the two trials determined that Meta inadequately policed its site, putting kids in harm’s way.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Fueling your body inadequately will leave you feeling dissatisfied and undernourished.—
Jamie Johnson,
Verywell Health,
27 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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Unaccustomed to living with someone like Sprinkles, Louise was nearly moved to tears by this delivery of weeds, but Lynn had barely noticed.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The older son, Dustin, barely speaks, and baby James is wearing a grocery bag for a diaper.—
Francine Prose,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Habitat and botanical characteristics Minari grows best where the ground stays consistently moist or shallowly flooded.—
Frannie Comstock,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The infamous gossip blogger took to social media over the weekend to share a video of himself breathing shallowly in a hospital bed, with a tube of oxygen hooked up through his nostrils.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Superficially.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superficially. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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