skin deep
Not truly substantial
Skin deep describes something superficial—affecting only the surface, not reaching deeper layers.
Physical wounds can be skin deep, but the phrase usually applies to qualities or feelings that lack substance: Her concern for the environment was skin deep.
The proverb "beauty is only skin deep" warns against valuing appearance over character.
- superficialLacking depth or substance
- shallowWithout much depth
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
- scratch the surfaceExamine only superficially
- veneerDecorative outer layer
facade · appearance · first impression · at first glance · cosmetic · exterior · outer layer · thin · paper thin · fleeting · hollow · outward · mask · pretense · glossy · beauty · complexion · dermis
- body idiomsheart of gold, heart of stone, cold heart, warm heart, soft heart
- superficialityshallowness, superficiality, hollowness, emptiness, insubstantiality
- appearance idiomsall dolled up, dolled up, done up, dressed to kill, dressed to the nines