Synonyms

apples and oranges

Idioms

Unlike objects or persons, as in Assessing the problems of the neighborhood grocery by examining a giant supermarket is comparing apples and oranges. This metaphor for dissimilarity began as apples and oysters, which appeared in John Ray's proverb collection of 1670. It is nearly always accompanied by a warning that one cannot compare such different categories.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That’s why comparing stocks’ past returns to Social Security’s risk-free, inflation-adjusted payments isn’t apples and oranges.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Colleges and universities may object that I’m comparing apples and oranges.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 14, 2025

"One has to be careful not to compare apples and oranges" he told the BBC.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2024

“So the new systems that are going into place are like apples and oranges compared to the old systems.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2024

Piper put her new sword to good use, while spraying food from the cornucopia in her other hand—using hams, chickens, apples, and oranges as interceptor missiles.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023