English Reference
Idiom idiom

comparing apples to oranges


Comparing two things that cannot be compared


SIMPLE

“You are comparing apples to oranges because these two cars are totally different.”

CONTEXTUAL

“Trying to decide between a quiet beach holiday and a busy city trip is like comparing apples to oranges.”

COMPLEX

“The critic argued that comparing the low-budget indie film to a major studio blockbuster was simply comparing apples to oranges given their different goals.”

Last updated June 7, 2026