can't hold a candle to
CulturalExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
My pathological liar character can’t hold a candle to you!
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 24, 2023
Joe isn't necessarily more appealing than his predecessor, and "You" at its best can't hold a candle to the greatest seasons of "Dexter."
From Salon ● Nov. 7, 2021
Science can’t hold a candle to celebrity, and sports personalities seem keener than ever to stir the pot.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 27, 2018
“It’s another level of value,” Challenger says. The holiday bonus or “attaboy” email you get from your boss can’t hold a candle to the sense of purpose fire fighters get from saving people’s lives.
From Time ● Dec. 14, 2012
"Not bad," replied the visitor, "but you can't hold a candle to the goods we make."
From The New Pun Book by Brown, Thomas A.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
