comparison

noun

com·​par·​i·​son kəm-ˈper-ə-sən How to pronounce comparison (audio)
-ˈpa-rə-
1
: the act or process of comparing: such as
a
: the representing of one thing or person as similar to or like another
His poetry invites comparison with the poems of Robert Frost.
b
: an examination of two or more items to establish similarities and dissimilarities
His faults seem minor by comparison.
a comparison of the sports cars
2
: identity of features : similarity
several points of comparison between the two
3
: the modification of an adjective or adverb to denote different levels of quality, quantity, or relation

Examples of comparison in a Sentence

a comparison of the data from the two studies the comparison of monkeys to humans I don't think comparisons of her situation and mine are appropriate.
Recent Examples on the Web According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnant people are 10 times more likely to develop listeriosis in comparison to the general population. Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024 Michigan was no different: extraordinarily low numbers in comparison to total enrollment created an environment where Black students were discriminated against and faced social isolation. Lorena Chambers / Made By History, TIME, 26 Oct. 2024 Will the real joke be how small Jan. 6, 2021 looks in comparison to what could be coming? Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2024 For comparison, medical costs for a control group not using GLP-1 drugs rose by 14% over the same period. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for comparison 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'comparison.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French comparison, from Latin comparation-, comparatio, from comparare — see compare entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of comparison was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near comparison

Cite this Entry

“Comparison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comparison. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

comparison

noun
com·​par·​i·​son kəm-ˈpar-ə-sən How to pronounce comparison (audio)
1
: the act of comparing : the state of being compared
2
: change in the form of an adjective or an adverb (as by having -er or -est added or more or most prefixed) to show different levels of quality, quantity, or relation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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