tip of the iceberg

Cultural  

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.

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tip of the iceberg Idioms  

1. 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]

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Example Sentences

Around the first five home games of the season, United either blocked or cancelled 22,000 tickets, a figure the club regards as the "tip of the iceberg".

From BBC

These findings are "shocking" but are only the tip of the iceberg, says Prof Laura Machin from Lancaster University, who runs a research group examining adopters' experiences.

From BBC

With the release of the Epstein files looming, experts warn that the expected documents will only be the tip of the iceberg in what could turn into a decades-long fight over transparency.

From Salon

That, one suspects, is just the tip of the iceberg.

From Salon

“They can’t remember what they said to whom, about what. It could be anything. I think most people think this could be the tip of the iceberg. They are very concerned about where all these rods might lead.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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