ENGLISH
REFERENCE

apples to apples, oranges to oranges

idiom
Meaning

A comparison of items that are similar, while also acknowledging or distinguishing a separation of their sets or categories.


Examples
SIMPLE

You cannot compare these cars; it is apples to apples, oranges to oranges.

CONTEXTUAL

When analyzing the sales data, we must separate the retail and wholesale sectors to ensure we are comparing apples to apples, oranges to oranges.

COMPLEX

To reach a fair conclusion regarding the two different economic models, the researchers insisted on comparing apples to apples, oranges to oranges, rather than conflating disparate variables.

Anchors to
Related idioms4entries
  1. 01

    apples and oranges

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

  2. 02

    apples to apples

    A comparison of items that are similar.

  3. 03

    mix apples and oranges

    To mix or confuse two completely different objects or ideas.

  4. 04

    oranges with oranges

    Synonym of apples to apples.

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