Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

scratch-the-surface-of-something

idiom

/skræʧ ðə ˈsɜrfɪs ʌv ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

Definition

To only begin to explore or understand something; to cover just the surface, without delving deeper.

Examples

When discussing climate change, we only scratched the surface of the issue in our conversation.
After reading the introduction, I realized I had only scratched the surface of the topic.
The workshop helped us scratch the surface of our potential as a team.

Meaning

When you scratch the surface of something, you only see a small part of it or understand it at a very basic level, not grasping the full depth or complexity.