ENGLISH
REFERENCE

comparable

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈkɑmpɝəbəɫ// UK //kˈɒmpəɹəbəl// com·pa·ra·ble

adj. similar enough to something else that you can compare them. You use this when two things have the same quality, size, or importance.

adj. similar in kind, amount, or size to something else, allowing for a valid comparison. Often used to indicate that two distinct entities share enough characteristics to be judged by the same standards.


SIMPLE

The two cars are comparable in price and speed.

CONTEXTUAL

The quality of the local school is comparable to the best private institutions in the city.

COMPLEX

Economists noted that while the two nations have different political systems, their industrial outputs remain comparable when adjusted for population size and resource availability.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English comparable, from Middle French comparable, from Latin comparābilis. By surface analysis, compare + -able.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'to' or 'with'.

Pitfall

The results are comparable than the previous studyThe results are comparable to the previous studyComparable is an adjective of similarity, not a comparative adjective like 'better'; it takes 'to' or 'with' instead of 'than'.

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