comparable

American  

[kom-per-uh-buhl, kuhm-pair-] / ˈkɒm pər ə bəl, kəmˈpɛər- /

adjective

1. capable of being compared; having features in common with something else to permit or suggest comparison.

   He considered the Roman and British empires to be comparable.

   Synonyms:

   similar, equivalent, equal, like

2. worthy of comparison.

   shops comparable to those on Fifth Avenue.

3. usable for comparison; similar.

   We have no comparable data on Russian farming.

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comparable British  

/ ˈkɒmpərəbəl /

adjective

1. worthy of comparison

2. able to be compared (with)

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Other Word Forms

• comparability noun
• comparableness noun
• comparably adverb
• intercomparable adjective
• uncomparable adjective
• uncomparableness noun

Etymology

Origin of comparable

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin comparābilis, equivalent to comparā(re) “to compare ” + -bilis -ble

Explanation

Use comparable to describe two things that are alike. If you are offered two jobs with comparable salaries, you might take the one where the weather is nicer. Comparable can also mean exactly what it looks like: things you are “able” to “compare” are comparable. When you say that comparing two things is “like comparing apples and oranges,” you're saying the two things in question are not comparable. When you pronounce this word, remember that, unlike with “compare,” you emphasize the first syllable and swallow the first “a”: COM-pra-ble. The sounds of the two words aren't really comparable.

Example Sentences

Unlike silicon, which requires ultra-pure single-crystal wafers, these materials can be produced using inexpensive solution-based methods while delivering comparable performance.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

BlackRock agreed to pay an estimated 35 times forward earnings for the firm, a premium price that was comparable with how private-credit manager Ares was valued at the time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Of course, measles and a cold are not remotely comparable, which is precisely the issue with serious diseases that were once eradicated becoming endemic.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

For instance, Hologic is a medical-technology provider, and several healthcare companies were candidates for inclusion and either comparable to or larger than Casey’s when it came to their market values.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Not only was there this donation, but another comparable sum was promised, for sometime later on, after the March ... obviously if all went well.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Related Words

• commensurate
• equal
• proportionate
• tantamount