compare and contrast

American

[kuhm-pair uhn kuhn-trast] / kəmˈpɛər ən kənˈtræst /

idiom

to consider (two or more objects, ideas, people, etc.) in a way that examines both similarities and differences.

The presentation will compare and contrast the Canadian income tax system with the U.S. system.

Etymology

Origin of compare and contrast

First recorded in 1780–90

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.

A new era of artificial-intelligence models mean the inevitable race to compare and contrast just how good they are.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

I think it might make sense to compare and contrast the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense a bit.

From Slate • Jun. 19, 2025

Watch to see how the two historic days compare and contrast.

From BBC • May 7, 2023

Parenting is a journey that inherently calls us to compare and contrast observations from our own childhood.

From Salon • Jan. 26, 2023

Breaking a song into “chunks” helps exercise children’s cognitive and analytical abilities to understand, compare, and contrast the different parts or phrases of a song.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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