Idioms

comparison

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(there's) no comparison

This person or thing is clearly and inarguably better than any other. This place serves the best pizza in town—no comparison! She might not be the most sociable person around, but when it comes to knowledge of classic literature, there's no comparison. Oh, you've got a way better memory than me, there's no comparison. You probably remember what we did for Christmas 1994!
See also: comparison, no

bear comparison

To be similar enough to someone or something as to warrant or justify a comparison, often a positive one. Primarily heard in UK. Though he was largely ignored in his lifetime, scholars today think his later work bears comparison to the likes of Tennyson and Browning. She's got a stellar resume—few other applicants bear comparison. He's a fine director, sure, but do you really think he bears comparison to Scorsese?
See also: bear, comparison

beyond compare

Unequalled or peerless. I'm not surprised that Molly won that scholarship—her intelligence is beyond compare. Megan's capacity to care for others has always been beyond compare, so I'm not surprised to hear she became a nurse. If the committee judges your essay to be beyond compare, then you'll be the one to win the award.
See also: beyond, compare

beyond comparison

Unequalled or peerless. I'm not surprised that Molly won a full scholarship to that prestigious university—her intelligence is beyond comparison. Megan's capacity to care for others has always been beyond comparison, so I'm not surprised to hear she became a nurse. If the committee judges your essay to be beyond comparison, then you'll be the one to win the award.
See also: beyond, comparison

by comparison

When judged against something else. The film was enjoyable, but it pales by comparison to the 1975 original. Her writing is so strong that I feel like mine just pales by comparison. When you consider these two options, one is clearly superior by comparison.
See also: by, comparison

comparisons are odious

It is unhelpful, unfair, or misleading to draw comparisons between people or things, especially when done flippantly or inappropriately. Everyone keeps comparing the new streaming service to traditional cable television, but frankly, comparisons are odious. A: "How would you compare Sarah's current boyfriend with her last?" B: "Comparisons are odious, dear. Let's not go down that road." I have always felt that comparisons are odious, especially when it comes to my kids and their lives.
See also: comparison, odious

in comparison

When judged against something else. Typically used in the phrase "pales in comparison." The film was enjoyable, but it pales in comparison to the 1975 original. Her writing is so strong that I feel like mine just pales in comparison. What am I even doing here? My acting career pales in comparison to these people!
See also: comparison

pale by comparison

To be or seem less important, impressive, or otherwise deficient when compared to someone or something else. The film was enjoyable, but it pales by comparison to the original. Though that issue is indeed serious, it pales by comparison with the threat of drug abuse that is tearing the country apart.
See also: by, comparison, pale

pale in comparison

To be or seem less important, impressive, or otherwise deficient when compared to someone or something else. The film was enjoyable, but it pales in comparison to the original. Though that issue is indeed serious, it pales in comparison with the threat of drug abuse that is tearing the country apart.
See also: comparison, pale

stand comparison

To be similar enough to someone or something as to warrant or justify a comparison, often a positive one. Primarily heard in UK. Though he was largely ignored in his lifetime, scholars today think his later work stands comparison to the likes of Tennyson and Browning. She's got a stellar resume—few other applicants stand comparison.
See also: comparison, stand

without comparison

Unequalled or peerless. I'm not surprised that Molly won a full scholarship to that prestigious university—her intelligence is without comparison.
See also: comparison, without
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

pale by comparison

 and pale in comparison
Fig. to appear to be deficient in comparison to something else. My work pales by comparison with yours. You are a real pro.
See also: by, comparison, pale
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

beyond comparison

Also, without comparison or beyond compare . Too superior to be compared, unrivaled, as in This view of the mountains is beyond comparison, or That bakery is without comparison. The first term, more common today than the much older variants, was first recorded in 1871. Without comparison goes back to 1340, and without compare to 1621.
See also: beyond, comparison
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

by comˈparison

(written) used especially at the beginning of a sentence when the next thing that is mentioned is compared with something in the previous sentence: By comparison, expenditure on education increased last year.
See also: by, comparison

by/in comparison (with somebody/something)

when compared with somebody/something: The second half of the game was dull by comparison with the first.The tallest buildings in London are small in comparison with New York’s skyscrapers.
See also: by, comparison

there’s no comˈparison

used when comparing two people or things to emphasize that one is much better, etc: ‘Who is the better player, Tom or Anna?’ ‘Anna is — there’s no comparison.’
See also: comparison, no
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

comparisons are odious

To draw an analogy is offensive; one cannot compare apples and oranges fairly. This term was already so well known in Shakespeare’s time that he was able to make a pun—more accurately a malapropism—on it and be sure it would be perfectly understood (“Comparisons are odorous,” says Dogberry in Much Ado about Nothing, 3.5). The earliest reference recorded is from about 1430, and there are equivalents in French, Italian, and numerous other languages.
See also: comparison, odious
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
See also:
References in periodicals archive
Though comparison is quite important in making sound life choices, our comparisons are largely responsible for most of the greatest rivalries of all times.
Steve Jones, CEO of Comparison Creator, said: "Ben joins Comparison Creator with extensive experience working within financial services and price comparison sites.
A number of niche commercial applications for the Comparison Group's proprietary systems have also been identified.
Despite the possibility that SNSs make social comparison easy, a systematic understanding of how social comparison affects users' well-being remains elusive.
While one might predict that upward comparison would shake a comparer's confidence and downward comparison would boost it, the impact is not that consistent and straightforward.
There's not many services available out there that gives users the tools they need to get unbiased price comparisons, and we are happy to now be providing that service."
The acquisition supports Moneysupermarket's strategy outlined in February to generate new market growth by taking price comparison to the user.
It is obtained not only from a crisp comparison matrix but also from an interval comparison matrix.
In this study, our aim was to extend the extant social comparison literature.
Findings/results: Findings show high Social Comparison Oriented(SCOs) individuals will increase their spending if they discover that the dissociative group is spending more than expected, but they will not alter such spending if they find that the aspirational group is spending less than expected.
The number of employees in industry by main industrial groupings in November 2013, in comparison with November 2012, was higher in Intermediate goods industries, except energy by 1.5 percent, capital goods industries by 0.4 percent, durable consumer goods industries by 6.8percent and non-durable consumer goods industries by 1.5percent, but lower in energy by 1.8percent
Travel Business Review-August 21, 2012--Summer Travellers Should Not Rely On Individual Comparison Sites For Bargains(C)2012] ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk
The YTD 2012 sales stand at 21995 units in comparison to YTD 2011 sales of 19689 units, representing a growth of 12 percent.
The authors explore the role of comparison in improving graph fluency.
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