phrase🎓 English idiom

the tip of the iceberg

a small visible part of a much bigger problem

What it means

A small, visible part of a much larger and usually hidden problem or situation. It implies that what is seen is only a fraction of something far bigger and often more serious.

Examples

  • These complaints are just the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid.
  • The missing funds were only the tip of the iceberg in the scandal.
  • What you see on the surface is the tip of the iceberg of her workload.
  • The reported cases are merely the tip of the iceberg of the outbreak.

Where it comes from

The phrase reflects the fact that roughly nine-tenths of an iceberg lies hidden beneath the water. It became a popular metaphor in the 20th century for any largely concealed problem.

Related idioms

#the elephant in the room#read between the lines#barking up the wrong tree#the last straw

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