in the same league

Idioms  

1. On the same level of skill, in the same class, as in As a woodworker, Bill wishes he were in the same league as Carl, who is a master carpenter. This metaphoric expression alludes to the leagues of baseball clubs, categorized as major or minor. It is often put negatively as not in the same league, as in This restaurant is not in the same league as the French café across the street. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

When it comes to commanding the screen, though, Ms. Coel is not in the same league as Mr. McKellen, which means the intended balance of opposites doesn’t quite pan out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

He joins Daley and Jack Laugher as the only British divers to win two medals in one Olympics - but is humble in that he does not see himself in the same league.

From BBC • Aug. 10, 2024

They play in the same league as the Seattle Thunderbirds.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 21, 2024

At the Valley bowling alley, the first hour doesn’t go so well for Mills, his wife Helena and a friend named Jimmy Hayward, who play in the same league team at a different spot.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2023

“Comets look flashy, but they’re not in the same league as the Nimbus.”

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling