pale beside/next to something

pale beside (someone or something)

To be or seem less important, impressive, or otherwise deficient when compared to someone or something else. All of my siblings are surgeons, so I always feel like my career in art pales beside theirs. Our work pales beside the things our predecessors created.

See also: beside, pale

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

pale beside someone or something

Fig. to appear to be weak or unimportant when compared to someone or something. He is competent, but he pales beside Fran. My meager effort pales beside your masterpiece.

See also: beside, pale

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

ˈpale beside/next to something

,

ˈpale in/by comparison (with/to something)

,

ˈpale into insignificance

seem less important when compared with something else: Last year’s riots pale in comparison with this latest outburst of violence.

See also: beside, next, pale, something, to

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017