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

Quinto and Henderson, by comparison, struggle slightly. —Daniel D'addario, Variety, 13 Dec. 2024

But the most common comparison being made is to Japan, which suffered decades of tepid economic growth before adopting a negative interest rate policy in a last-ditch attempt to spur a rebound. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 13 Dec. 2024

By comparison, the atomic bomb dropped on Japan's Hiroshima in 1945 released somewhere in the neighborhood of 1020 ergs of energy. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Discount and price comparison apps Discount apps like Flipp aggregate sales fliers and store circulars. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 11 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