1
: as deep as the skin
2
: not thorough or lasting in impression : superficial

Examples of skin-deep in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In a world where beauty is considered skin-deep, Tedi Atanassov's BeautyBorn MedSpa delves deeper, touching the lives of its clients with a personal and professional touch. Molly Peck, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 The skin-deep son not only is supposed to restore the family’s honor but also serves as a good-luck charm for the parents to conceive a male child in the future. Nadia Hashimi, Foreign Affairs, 13 Apr. 2015 At the same time, her colors shift the focus away from skin-deep assumptions and toward the interior lives of her subjects. Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 The 2024 Hyundai Elantra's changes are mostly skin-deep. Car and Driver, 19 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skin-deep.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of skin-deep was circa 1613

Dictionary Entries Near skin-deep

Cite this Entry

“Skin-deep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skin-deep. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

skin-deep

adjective
ˈskin-ˈdēp
1
: as deep as the skin
2
: not thorough or lasting in impression : superficial

More from Merriam-Webster on skin-deep

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