apples to oranges

apples to oranges

An unfair or invalid comparison made between two unlike people or things. Hyphenated if used before a noun. Comparing the marketing strategies of a global tech company to those of a farming co-op is kind of apples to oranges, don't you think? You can't exactly make comparisons of sales results between authors who write in such drastically different genres—it's apples to oranges. Come on, you're a nurse and I'm an engineer—our work worlds are apples to oranges!

See also: apple, orange, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

apples to oranges

and A2O

phr. & comp. abb. [but that’s comparing] apples to oranges; [You are] making an unfair comparison. Chevvies and Beemers! That’s apples to oranges! They’re not even in the same class! It’s A2O! What can I say?

See also: apple, orange, to

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.