the tip of the iceberg

noun phrase

: a small part of something (such as a problem) that is seen or known about when there is a much larger part that is not seen or known about
The news is shocking, but we may find out that the stories we've heard so far are just the tip of the iceberg.

Examples of the tip of the iceberg in a Sentence

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Astrophysicists behind the find claim the discovery not only will help scientists understand how stars can survive in extreme gravity, but could even be the tip of the iceberg before planets themselves are detected near the black hole. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024 But Taylor Swift is the tip of the iceberg, and non-consensual deepfakes are proliferating widely—in part because open-source tools to create deepfakes are available publicly. Arvind Narayanan, WIRED, 13 Dec. 2024 That’s just the tip of the iceberg with Bath & Body Works’ Black Friday promotions last year. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 22 Nov. 2024 The two dogs were just the tip of the iceberg, according to investigators. Luke Barr, ABC News, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for the tip of the iceberg 

Dictionary Entries Near the tip of the iceberg

thetin

the tip of the iceberg

Thetis

Cite this Entry

“The tip of the iceberg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20tip%20of%20the%20iceberg. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

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