comparison
noun
com·par·i·son
kəm-ˈper-ə-sən 
-ˈpa-rə-
1
: the act or process of comparing: such as
a
: the representing of one thing or person as similar to or like another
His poetry invites comparison with the poems of Robert Frost.
b
: an examination of two or more items to establish similarities and dissimilarities
His faults seem minor by comparison.
a comparison of the sports cars
2
: identity of features : similarity
several points of comparison between the two
3
: the modification of an adjective or adverb to denote different levels of quality, quantity, or relation
Examples of comparison in a Sentence
a comparison of the data from the two studies
the comparison of monkeys to humans
I don't think comparisons of her situation and mine are appropriate.
Recent Examples on the Web
However, South Carolina was winning the battle of the boards with 22 rebounds in comparison to UConn’s 18.
—
Allison Smith, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The physical scars, though extensive, pale in comparison to the mental trauma.
—Laura A. Bischoff, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
For comparison, the Dubai-Malé round-trip ticket in Emirates' business class can range from $2,000 to $3,500, while first-class starts at $6,000.
—Scott Campbell, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
The House, by comparison, has passed a budget framework that sets aside $4.5 trillion for tax cuts.
—Claudia Grisales, NPR, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for comparison
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Allison Smith, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The physical scars, though extensive, pale in comparison to the mental trauma.
—Laura A. Bischoff, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
For comparison, the Dubai-Malé round-trip ticket in Emirates' business class can range from $2,000 to $3,500, while first-class starts at $6,000.
—Scott Campbell, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
The House, by comparison, has passed a budget framework that sets aside $4.5 trillion for tax cuts.
—Claudia Grisales, NPR, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for comparison
Cite this Entry
“Comparison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comparison. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
comparison
noun
com·par·i·son
kəm-ˈpar-ə-sən
1
: the act of comparing : the state of being compared
2
: change in the form of an adjective or an adverb (as by having -er or -est added or more or most prefixed) to show different levels of quality, quantity, or relation
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