shallowest
Minimum depth possible
Shallowest is the superlative of shallow—the least deep among things compared.
Water can be shallowest near shore, breathing shallowest during sleep.
The word often carries judgment: the shallowest person in the room cares only about surfaces, the shallowest analysis barely scratches its subject.
Excessively basic, ignoring complexity
- superficialLacking depth or substance
- trivialLacking significance or weight
- cursoryHasty and incomplete
- perfunctoryDone with minimal effort
glib · platitudinous · undeveloped · rudimentary · uncritical · incurious · thoughtless · facile
Submerged to the foot
- wadingTraversing shallow water on foot
- paddlingStroking water with blades
- fordableAble to be crossed
- knee-highUp to the leg joint
puddle · sandbar · mudflat · rockpool · tidal · littoral · streamlet · inlet
Surface-level appearance enhancer
- veneerDecorative outer layer
- facadeDeceptive outward appearance
- glossySmooth and shiny
- showyExcessively eye-catching
ostentatious · flashy · gaudy · pretentious · superficial · surface · outward · skin-deep
Weak and easily damaged
- tenuousLacking solid foundation
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
- meagerDeficient in quantity
- thinSmall in diameter
slight · negligible · scant · sparse · sketchy · vague · incomplete · bare
simplistic
Excessively basic, ignoring complexity
- superficialLacking depth or substance
- trivialLacking significance or weight
- cursoryHasty and incomplete
perfunctory · glib · platitudinous · undeveloped · rudimentary · uncritical · incurious · thoughtless · facile · unexamined
ankle-deep
Submerged to the foot
knee-high · puddle · sandbar · mudflat · rockpool · tidal · littoral · streamlet · inlet · shoal
cosmetic
Surface-level appearance enhancer
showy · ostentatious · flashy · gaudy · pretentious · superficial · surface · outward · skin-deep · external
flimsy
Weak and easily damaged
- tenuousLacking solid foundation
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
- meagerDeficient in quantity
thin · slight · negligible · scant · sparse · sketchy · vague · incomplete · bare · paltry