skin-deep
Not truly deep
Skin-deep describes something superficial—extending no further than the surface.
The phrase appears most often in discussions of beauty, where beauty is only skin-deep reminds us that physical attractiveness reveals nothing about character.
More broadly, skin-deep characterizes anything lacking depth or substance: His commitment to the cause proved skin-deep when real sacrifice was required.
The hyphenated form functions as an adjective; without the hyphen, it works adverbially.
Without much depth
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
- cosmeticSurface-level appearance enhancer
- externalLocated on outside
- outwardToward the outside
apparent · seeming · ostensible · veneer · facade · gloss · cursory · perfunctory
Lacking significance or weight
- insignificantLacking importance or consequence
- unimportantLacking significance or weight
- inconsequentialLacking significance or impact
- minorScale with lowered third
slight · negligible · frivolous · petty · trifling · lightweight · immaterial · shallow
Skin tone, appearance
- beautyAesthetic excellence
- looksVisual attention or appearance
- attractivenessPleasing quality that draws
- prettinessAttractive visual quality
handsomeness · comeliness · glamour · allure · charm · visage · countenance · features
Passing very quickly
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- passingMoving by or temporary
- momentaryLasting very briefly
- briefShort in duration
short-lived · impermanent · ephemeral · evanescent · fading · vanishing · transitory · quick
shallow
Without much depth
outward · apparent · seeming · ostensible · veneer · facade · gloss · cursory · perfunctory · token
trivial
Lacking significance or weight
- insignificantLacking importance or consequence
- unimportantLacking significance or weight
- inconsequentialLacking significance or impact
minor · slight · negligible · frivolous · petty · trifling · lightweight · immaterial · shallow · vapid
complexion
Skin tone, appearance
- beautyAesthetic excellence
- looksVisual attention or appearance
- attractivenessPleasing quality that draws
prettiness · handsomeness · comeliness · glamour · allure · charm · visage · countenance · features · aspect
fleeting
Passing very quickly
brief · short-lived · impermanent · ephemeral · evanescent · fading · vanishing · transitory · quick · provisional
- superficialshallow, surface, depthless, cursory, perfunctory
- Surface-Levelsurface-level, superficial, shallow, veneer, facade
- depthsabyss, deep, bottom, chasm, fathomless