ENGLISH
REFERENCE

comparing apples to oranges

idiom
Meaning

Comparing two things that cannot be compared


Examples
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