tip of the iceberg

1. Only a hint or suggestion of a much larger or more complex issue or problem: “The money missing from petty cash was only the tip of the iceberg of financial mismanagement.” This phrase alludes to the fact that the bulk of a floating iceberg is concealed beneath the water, leaving only a small portion, its tip, visible above.

Idioms and Phrases

Superficial evidence of a much larger problem, as in Laying off a hundred workers is only the tip of the iceberg . This idiom alludes to the structure of an iceberg, most of whose bulk lies underwater. [Mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

From Salon

"We're at the tip of the iceberg," smiles Brown.

From BBC

But the charity believes this figure is just the "tip of the iceberg".

From BBC

Sony called the breach “just the tip of the iceberg,” contending the network engaged in broader misconduct, including that it garnered below-market prices for the shows internationally and domestically, preferencing its own wholly owned shows in its licensing negotiations.

From Los Angeles Times

Detectives fear the four victims could just be the tip of the iceberg.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cursory
• frivolous
• one-dimensional
• perfunctory
• silly
• sketchy
• slight
• trivial