comparison
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the process of looking at two or more things to see how they are alike or different.
the act of comparing or the state of being compared; an evaluation of relative qualities.
Simple“The teacher made a comparison between the two books to show their different styles.”
In context“A detailed comparison of the two economic models reveals that while both aim for growth, their methods of wealth distribution differ significantly.”
UsageOften used with the prepositions 'of', 'between', or 'with'.
PitfallA comparison between the two cars shows many differences. A comparison of the two cars shows many differences.While 'between' is common, 'comparison of' is the standard way to introduce the items being analyzed.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the state of being similar to something else, often used to say one thing is much better than another.
the state of being similar or alike, frequently used in negative constructions to indicate a vast difference in quality.
Simple“There is no comparison between home-cooked food and a quick snack from a machine.”
In context“In terms of sheer processing power, there is simply no comparison between the new quantum processor and its predecessor.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrase 'there is no comparison'.
Teacher's tipThis sense is often used to emphasize that one thing is far superior to another.
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
the way adjectives and adverbs change to show 'more' or 'most' of a quality.
the modification of adjectives and adverbs to indicate degrees of quality, quantity, or intensity through positive, comparative, and superlative forms.
Simple“In English, the comparison of the word 'good' is 'better' and 'best'.”
In context“The student struggled with the irregular comparison of certain adverbs, often applying standard suffixes where suppletion was required.”
UsageRefers to the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees.
Teacher's tipIn a grammar context, this refers specifically to forms like 'big, bigger, biggest'.
Synonymsinflectiongradation
Usage comparison of two · comparison between · comparison with
From Middle English comparisoun, from Old French comparison, from Latin comparātiō, from comparātus, perfect passive participle of comparō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.