# apples and oranges

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/apples-and-oranges
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A comparison of items that, however categorically similar, is inapt; an incompatible analogy, or the items so compared; a disanalogy.

## Examples

- Comparing those two jobs is like comparing apples and oranges.
- You cannot compare a professional athlete to a hobbyist, as they are apples and oranges.
- To weigh the merits of classical poetry against modern software development is to compare apples and oranges, given their entirely disparate objectives.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.