tip of iceberg
Visible small portion
The tip of the iceberg is the small visible portion of something much larger that remains hidden.
Since most of an iceberg's mass lies underwater, the phrase describes situations where surface evidence hints at deeper problems or complexities: The reported cases are just the tip of the iceberg.
Usually carries ominous implications—what's concealed is typically worse than what's seen.
- tip offSecretly inform beforehand
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
- hiddenKept out of sight
- beneathIn a lower position
- depthsLowest or innermost regions
submerged · glacier · visible · fraction · deeper · cold · cold water · massive · titanic · sinking ship · floating · ocean · hint · bigger picture · glimpse · underlying · concealed · reveal
- Weather Idiomsunder the weather, when it rains it pours, come rain or shine, rain check, take a rain check
tip of icebergthe whole nine yards
Totality, without exception
everything · the whole story · the big picture · entirety · totality
tip of icebergdeep dive
Comprehensive examination of topic
the whole truth · full disclosure · inside story · whole truth · chapter and verse
tipped, tipping, tipper, icier, iciest, iciness, berg, bergs, iceberg