# scratch the surface

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/scratch-the-surface
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.

## Examples

- This book only scratches the surface of the topic.
- The documentary was interesting, but it barely scratched the surface of such a complex issue.
- Though the lecture touched on decades of research, it could only scratch the surface of what scholars had uncovered about the lost civilization.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.