comparable
Americanadjective
-
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
-
worthy of comparison.
shops comparable to those on Fifth Avenue.
-
usable for comparison; similar.
We have no comparable data on Russian farming.
adjective
-
worthy of comparison
-
able to be compared (with)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing comparable
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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.
The S&P 500’s comparable total return was 11.5% annualized.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026
"This process ensures students receive results that fairly reflect their performance and are comparable across exam series."
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Researchers compared the results with both historical samples and other beluga populations and found that genetic diversity in Bristol Bay is comparable to that of much larger populations.
From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026
The medical-device maker posted a profit of $1.24 billion, or 96 cents a share, for its three months ended April 24, compared with $1.06 billion, or 82 cents a share, in last year’s comparable quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
“How is anything better than anything else here? How is one tent comparable to another? How can any of this possibly be judged?”
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
