Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

scratch the surface

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.08 in modern English

Syllables
scratch the -sur-face
IPA
32
Scrabble Score
17
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

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

Example Sentences

Inflected Forms

scratches the surface (present, singular) scratching the surface (participle, present) scratched the surface (participle, past) scratched the surface (past)

Phrases

scratch beneath the surface tip of the iceberg

Frequently Paired Words

scratch beneath the surface tip of the iceberg

Questions

What does scratch the surface mean?
To barely begin; to see or do only a fraction of what is possible.

How to pronounce scratch the surface

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “scratch the surface”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “scratch the surface”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “scratch the surface” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.