You might object that the approach creates only superficial mimicry — the way some alchemists claimed to have “made gold” by applying some surface treatment to another metal that induced chemical reactions to gave the metal a golden sheen.
Alchemy Arrives in a Burst of Light|Philip Ball|September 30, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Popular critiques of millennials, in the mid-2000s and beyond, ranged from “They’re too entitled” to “Technology and social media are making them superficial.”
Why Sex Is No Longer a Teen Commodity|Joshua Eferighe|September 21, 2020|Ozy
He also suffered a superficial wound to his left thigh and a graze wound to his forehead.
Prosecutors charge teen in fatal shooting of two protestors and wounding of a third in Kenosha|kdunn6|August 28, 2020|Fortune
The government could easily make superficial efforts to address public backlash against visible data collection without really touching the core of the Ministry of Public Security’s national operations, says Wang, of Human Rights Watch.
Inside China’s unexpected quest to protect data privacy|Tate Ryan-Mosley|August 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
“They have a superficial understanding of the marketplace,” he added.
‘You need to fix the entire line’: Publishers’ sales and revenue teams struggle with entrenched diversity problem|Max Willens|July 10, 2020|Digiday
But it will take more than superficial solidarity to dismantle those structures and the ideologies that birthed them.
Jamie Foxx: Get Over the Black ‘Annie’|Stereo Williams|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is loathed by some critics who find it patronizing, silly, and superficial.
'The Newsroom' Ended As It Began: Weird, Controversial, and Noble|Kevin Fallon|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The implication is that she might even have assisted her husband inflicting his superficial wounds.
Did Joran Van Der Sloot Fake His Prison Shanking?|Andrea Zarate, Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Every Bentley is made to order, which essentially means anything “superficial” is possible.
Behind the Wheel of the Bespoke Bentley|Zoe Settle|October 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
George was neither shallow nor superficial; his personality was deep and multidimensional.
When Gary Wright Met George Harrison: Dream Weaver, John and Yoko, and More|Gary Wright|September 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The word applies wholly to what is superficial; we can say "fair, yet false."
English Synonyms and Antonyms|James Champlin Fernald
The spirit which directs them is needed more than anything else in our time of reaching out for superficial goods.
Psychotherapy|Hugo Mnsterberg
He learns the language of the people, and soon succeeds in giving them a superficial knowledge of the great truths of the Gospel.
Thoughts on Missions|Sheldon Dibble
Their view of the world and its wonders is narrow and superficial.
A Book of Prefaces|H. L. Mencken
She looked at things with a lighter logic and a kind of genius for the acceptance of superficial values.
The Research Magnificent|H. G. Wells
British Dictionary definitions for superficial
superficial
/ (ˌsuːpəˈfɪʃəl) /
adjective
of, relating to, being near, or forming the surfacesuperficial bruising
displaying a lack of thoroughness or carea superficial inspection
only outwardly apparent rather than genuine or actualthe similarity was merely superficial
of little substance or significance; trivialsuperficial differences
lacking originality or profunditythe film's plot was quite superficial