scratch the surface

Idioms and Phrases

Investigate or treat something superficially, as in This feed-the-hungry program only scratches the surface of the problem , or Her survey course barely scratches the surface of economic history . This metaphoric term transfers shallow markings made in a stone or other material to a shallow treatment of a subject or issue. [Early 1900s]

Example Sentences

These figures only scratch the surface, as many victims don’t report such crimes.

From BBC

"Paired with their moves to cancel our deterrent, give an effective amnesty to thousands of illegal migrants, and failure to hire a head of their phantom border command, it doesn't scratch the surface."

From BBC

We show the complications with addiction, and we start to scratch the surface of who he was as a person as he struggled with addiction and as he struggled through making change.

From Salon

The 13 films below only scratch the surface of Corman’s huge filmography, but they do provide a glimpse into his ambition and his sensibility as both a director and a micro studio boss.

From New York Times

"So why would a researcher jump into something if there's little known and they're left wondering, 'How do I even start? What do I have at my disposal that would allow me to even scratch the surface of this very complex disorder?'"

From Science Daily

Related Words

• gather
• interpret
• know
• learn
• refer to
• scan
• see
• study
• translate
• view