comparison

American  

[kuhm-par-uh-suhn] / kəmˈpær ə sən /

noun

1. the act of comparing.

2. the state of being compared.

3. a likening; illustration by similitude; comparative estimate or statement.

4. Rhetoric. the considering of two things with regard to some characteristic that is common to both, as the likening of a hero to a lion in courage.

5. capability of being compared or likened.

   Synonyms:

   similarity, resemblance, likeness

6. Grammar.

   1. the function of an adverb or adjective that is used to indicate degrees of superiority or inferiority in quality, quantity, or intensity.

   2. the patterns of formation involved therein.

   3. the degrees of a particular word, displayed in a fixed order, as mild, milder, mildest, less mild, least mild.

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comparison British  

/ kəmˈpærɪsən /

noun

1. the act or process of comparing

2. the state of being compared

3. comparable quality or qualities; likeness

   there was no comparison between them

4. a rhetorical device involving comparison, such as a simile

5. Also called: degrees of comparison.  grammar the listing of the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of an adjective or adverb

6. to be sufficiently similar in class or range to be compared with (something else), esp favourably

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intercomparison
  noun
• precomparison
  noun
• recomparison
  noun

Etymology

Origin of comparison

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English comparesoun, from Old French comparaison, from Latin comparātiōn-, stem of comparātiō, from comparāt(us) “placed together” (past participle of comparāre “to place together, match”; see compare) + -iō -ion

Explanation

When you make a comparison, you figure out how things are similar. Making comparisons is about taking a look at characteristics or qualities that show the similarities between living things, objects, or anything else. In the supermarket, people make comparisons based on price and ingredients. Lots of essays and articles make comparisons: between different politicians, bands, movies, athletes, and even whole era. Many teachers ask students to write comparisons in essays. If two things are totally different, you could say "There's no comparison!"

Example Sentences

He said while he was treated in hospital he saw men undergoing the traditional radiotherapy who looked "dreadful" in comparison because of the repeated bouts of treatment.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

A palpably animated black-and-white, full-stage photo from 1935—of Graham in her 1931 “Primitive Mysteries” as its ritualistic Virgin figure surrounded by celebrants—resonates with life in comparison to the studio-posed photos in the exhibit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

By comparison, Neptune is about 30AU away from the Sun.

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

By comparison, the median assets held by Americans ages 65 to 74 in retirement accounts was $200,000 in 2022, according to the most recent data from the Federal Reserve.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

Geneticists were able to collect enough intact Neanderthal DNA from fossils to make a broad comparison between it and the DNA of contemporary humans.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Related Words

• analogy
• connection
• contrast
• correlation
• example
• identification
• juxtaposition
• observation
• ratio
• relation
• resemblance
• similarity
• testing