surfaces 1 of 2

Definition of surfacesnext
plural of surface
as in exteriors
an outer part or layer the surface of just about everything in the kitchen was covered with soot after we put the grease fire out

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surfaces

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of surface
1
as in emerges
to come to one's attention especially gradually or unexpectedly no information regarding the stolen car has surfaced since the police found it abandoned on a country road

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2
as in rises
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below a submarine surfaced on the starboard side of the aircraft carrier

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of surfaces
Noun
The fine Nappa leather seating surfaces, ventilation and massage functions up front, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel and Bang & Olufsen sound system transform long stretches of Highway 36 into something closer to a private lounge. Chris Jackson, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026 Accessibility As a rural property set across gently sloping terrain, there are uneven surfaces, steps, and small hills to navigate. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 The synthetic outer material moved with my foot, feeling sturdy, while the rubber sole kept my footing steady on busy sidewalks and slick surfaces. Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026 Plus, the rubber outsole features specialized grooves to improve traction across a variety of surfaces. Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026 Scientists think these ices, frozen onto the surfaces of tiny dust grains, represent a major source of the universe's water. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026 Since they’re touched by everyone in the house all day and night long, these small surfaces accumulate a massive amount of germs and rarely get cleaned. Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026 In Mecklenburg County, officials are asking residents to voluntarily reduce nonessential water use, including limiting outdoor watering and avoiding activities like washing hard surfaces or running half-full loads of laundry. Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 23 Apr. 2026 Unlike trees or grass, these surfaces trap solar radiation and release it slowly, turning neighborhoods into long-lasting heat batteries. Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
Rather than pulling from a generic product database, Shopping mode surfaces ideas from creators and communities already active on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026 Such institutional prejudice often surfaces, in ways both brazen and subtle, when Muslims attempt to build new places of worship or renovate existing ones. Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2026 Knowles keeps the atmosphere leaden when the story surfaces in the present, in which Willy is 63, fraying with disappointment and banged up from several car crashes out on his long runs — events that his family is starting to fear aren’t accidents. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026 In the later drafts, the psychological consequences were what felt important—each fantasy surfaces another warped representation of her grief. Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026 The only reliable draft intel typically surfaces the week of the draft, like Will Campbell being the Patriots’ top target last season. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026 The warning at the entrance was preceded by a towering statue of Pazuzu, a Mesopotamian demon-god that surfaces in Gorillaz videos and art at times. Peter Larsen, Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026 According to Thea Gallagher, clinical psychologist and associate professor at NYU Langone Health, this moment often surfaces realities that were easy to ignore during the parenting years. Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 10 Feb. 2026 The hardships sparked mass emigration and economic collapse, leaving an even deeper mark — one that still surfaces in quiet dinners with strangers like us. Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for surfaces
Noun
  • Length can vary but make certain to never crowd the skillet if panfrying, as a crowded skillet gives off steam and that steam can soften exteriors, leading to soggy fish.
    Jack Hennessy, Outdoor Life, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Designer Can Yalman took control of those exteriors, while Milan studio Hot Lab dreamed up the interiors.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Michael’s brother Sonny (James Caan) becomes the de facto crime boss as the Corleones prosecute a turf war against their rivals, and Michael eventually emerges as the new, and much more ruthless boss, much to the horror of his wife, Kay (Diane Keaton).
    David Faris, TheWeek, 29 Apr. 2026
  • But among players such as rookies Rodriguez, the second-round pick from Texas Tech, Trey Moore, the fourth-round pick from Texas, and Kyle Louis, the fourth-round pick from Pitt, perhaps someone emerges or perhaps a hybrid role is created.
    Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Rare earth demand rises The ubiquity of rare earth elements means demand keeps rising.
    Anton L. Delgado, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • From the fiery lake of damnation, Lucifer rises as Satan to seduce humanity’s first parents, Adam and Eve, in the flawless Garden of Eden, triggering the Fall of Man and the loss of Paradise itself.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The edge group is an interesting position in Miami, as the defensive fronts could see some change under new coach Jeff Hafley.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Here are seven ideas that deliver on all fronts.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Conflict arises when Jonas’ character turns one of his jam session partner’s tunes into a hit.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
  • If the right moment arises, however, Miller isn’t afraid to let some emotion fly.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Mitigating it by having tripwires in place to identify and catching it before an attack occurs is the goal.
    Donald J. Mihalek, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle begins to slide uncontrollably on wet roads.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • All the statute requires is that DHS solicit and receive other agencies' views; Congress left the Executive Branch to resolve how that process happens and how much detail other agencies provide.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
  • And when that happens, voters are left to question whether the outcome of an election reflects their voice or the lines that were drawn around it.
    Dan Daley, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Named for his grandfather, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro has for more than a decade acted as part bodyguard, part gatekeeper to Cuba’s most powerful living figure, always just feet away when Raúl Castro appears in public.
    Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Another trend that Lu pinpointed was that the brand appears to maintain long-term relationships with suppliers; of the 800 apparel factories its uses, 314 (almost 40 percent) have worked with the company for over a decade, and 126 have produced garments for H&M for 6-10 yerars.
    Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 29 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Surfaces.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/surfaces. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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