Metal oxides (MOs) have emerged as a transformative platform for creating superhydrophobic surfaces, capitalizing on their inherent advantages—remarkable thermal/chemical stability, adjustable electronic structures, earth-abundant availability, and environmental compatibility. This review first presents mechanistic insights into MOs-driven superhydrophobicity. The distinctive wettability mechanism of MOs-based superhydrophobic surfaces (MOSHSs) is shown to originate from their unique atomic-level nanostructures and surface properties. Then, the recent progress in MOSHSs is concisely examined. Subsequently, the review details two key design strategies: 1) fabrication of micro-nanostructures and 2) chemical modifier modification. These approaches synergistically enable extreme water repellency and stable Cassie-Baxter states through tunable morphologies and surface chemistry. Cutting-edge fabrication innovations are highlighted, particularly those reconciling industrial scalability, economic viability, and ecological sustainability. Recent advances in multifunctional MOSHSs for practical applications are further emphasized. Finally, the review identifies critical challenges (mechanism exploration, process optimization, performance enhancement, application expansion) and establishes MOs as next-generation platforms for sustainable superhydrophobic technologies.