comparison

noun

com·​par·​i·​son kəm-ˈper-ə-sən 

-ˈpa-rə-

1

: the act or process of comparing: such as

a

: the representing of one thing or person as similar to or like another

His poetry invites comparison with the poems of Robert Frost.

b

: an examination of two or more items to establish similarities and dissimilarities

His faults seem minor by comparison.

a comparison of the sports cars

2

: identity of features : similarity

several points of comparison between the two

3

: the modification of an adjective or adverb to denote different levels of quality, quantity, or relation

Examples of comparison in a Sentence

a comparison of the data from the two studies

the comparison of monkeys to humans

I don't think comparisons of her situation and mine are appropriate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Perhaps the shocks and springs simply need to work too hard to manage nearly 5,000 pounds of four-door EV, though that figure only sounds steep in comparison to a hot hatch like the Focus RS. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024

This 2026 group is not necessarily down in comparison to recent classes. —Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024

Honey helps merchants reduce cart abandonment and comparison shopping while increasing sales conversion. —George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024

As before, Alaskan birds outperformed comparison birds on spatial-memory tasks; their hippocampi were the same size but the Alaskan birds had more hippocampal neurons. —Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French comparison, from Latin comparation-, comparatio, from comparare — see compare entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing comparison

• by/in comparison
• comparison shop
• draw a comparison
• evokes/invites comparison with
• make a comparison
• no comparison
• pale by comparison
• pale in/by comparison to/with
• stands/bears comparison

Kids Definition

comparison

noun

com·​par·​i·​son kəm-ˈpar-ə-sən 

1

: the act of comparing : the state of being compared

2

: change in the form of an adjective or an adverb (as by having -er or -est added or more or most prefixed) to show different levels of quality, quantity, or relation