scratch beneath the surface

verb

To look or see beyond what is obvious.

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Meanings

verbscratch beneath the surface (third-person singular simple present scratches beneath the surface, present participle scratching beneath the surface, simple past and past participle scratched beneath the surface)

present singular third person scratches beneath the surface · participle present scratching beneath the surface · participle past scratched beneath the surface · past scratched beneath the surface

  1. idiomaticTo look or see beyond what is obvious.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
scratch below the surface
Cite this entry
APA

scratch beneath the surface. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20beneath%20the%20surface

MLA

“scratch beneath the surface.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20beneath%20the%20surface. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “scratch beneath the surface,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20beneath%20the%20surface.

Source: scratch beneath the surface on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.