superficially

Everyday

1. Superficially means only on the surface or at first look, not deeply: «They look superficially alike». tree →
2. Superficially can mean done quickly and carelessly, without real thought or care. tree →
3. (medical) Superficially injured means hurt only on the skin, not deep inside. tree →

In the lessons

In reading and science lessons, «superficially similar» is used when two things look alike but are really different (a whale and a fish). In reports, a teacher may say work was done superficially, meaning without enough depth. In health, a superficial cut is shallow. Phrases: «superficially similar», «only superficially».

Examples

• Bats and birds are superficially alike, but bats are mammals. tree →
• He read the chapter only superficially and missed the main point. tree →
• The driver was superficially injured, with just a few scratches. tree →
• The twins look superficially the same but act very differently. tree →
• The problem was fixed superficially, so it came back. tree →
• Superficially, the plan looked good. tree →

Note

From «superficial» + -ly. «Super-» here means «above» (on the surface), not «very good». It is often a criticism: «superficial» = shallow.