compare
To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things "to compare X with Y".
Word facts
Definition of Compare
In simple termsHaving made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it similar to Y or different from Y.
To declare two things to be similar in some respect "to compare X to Y".
Example sentences
Compare the tiger's coloration with that of the zebra.
Astronomers have compared comets to dirty snowballs.
Using Compare well
A closer look at how compare is used — meaning in plain English, how close synonyms differ, and examples at different levels.
To look at two or more things to see how they are alike or different.
Use it when weighing similarities and differences. Note the prepositions: 'compare to' likens things ('compared her to a rose'), while 'compare with' sets them side by side to examine both ('compare this year with last').
Reviews, shopping and price checks, academic and analytical writing, and everyday phrases like 'compared to' and 'nothing compares'.
'Compare to' vs 'compare with': use 'to' when asserting a likeness ('critics compared him to Dickens'), and 'with' when examining both sides for similarities and differences ('compare the two drafts with each other').
- contrast
- the flip side — focuses only on differences, not similarities
- liken
- means to point out similarity ('liken it to'); narrower and more literary
- weigh
- implies judging options against each other to decide, not just observing
- equate
- stronger — treats two things as effectively equal, which compare does not require
- measure against
- phrasal and evaluative — checks one thing by the standard of another
- contrast
- sets differences apart rather than drawing them together (also a partial synonym, depending on emphasis)
- Beginner Let's compare the two phones before we buy one.
- In writing When you compare this quarter's figures with last year's, the growth is modest but steady.
- Advanced To compare grief to a wound is comforting until you notice that some wounds are never meant to close.
Compare = 'com-' (together) + 'pair' — you bring a pair together to look at them.
Synonyms for Compare
Related words
Words closely connected to Compare in meaning or use:
Words that rhyme with Compare
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What does compare mean?
To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things "to compare X with Y". It is a verb.
How many syllables does compare have?
Compare breaks into 2 syllables — kuhm·pehr — when you say it aloud.
What part of speech is compare?
Compare works as a verb. As a noun, it names a thing, idea, or concept.
What are synonyms for compare?
You can often swap compare for comparison, equivalence, equate, liken, though each carries a slightly different shade of meaning.
How do you use compare in a sentence?
Example: "Compare the tiger's coloration with that of the zebra."