compare

1 of 2

verb

com·​pare kəm-ˈper How to pronounce compare (audio)
compared; comparing

transitive verb

1
: to represent as similar : liken
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?William Shakespeare
2
a
: to examine the character or qualities of especially in order to discover resemblances or differences
compare your responses with the answers
b
: to view in relation to
He is tall compared to me.
The test was easy compared with the last one.
3
: to inflect or modify (an adjective or adverb) according to the degrees of comparison : state the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of

intransitive verb

1
: to bear being compared
The two don't even begin to compare.
We bought two different brands of peanut butter to see how they compare.
2
: to make comparisons
If we now go to Italy at all, we go not to learn, but to compare.Norman Douglas
3
: to be equal or alike
Nothing compares to you.

compare

2 of 2

noun

: the possibility of comparing
beauty beyond compare
also : something with which to be compared
a city without compare
Choose the Right Synonym for compare

compare, contrast, collate mean to set side by side in order to show differences and likenesses.

compare implies an aim of showing relative values or excellences by bringing out characteristic qualities whether similar or divergent.

compared the convention facilities of the two cities

contrast implies an emphasis on differences.

contrasted the computerized system with the old filing cards

collate implies minute and critical inspection in order to note points of agreement or divergence.

data from districts around the country will be collated

Examples of compare in a Sentence

Verb The singer's voice has been compared to that of Elvis. We each did the homework assignment, then compared answers. I compared several bicycles before buying one.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
With over 30 progressive jackpots across their wide selection of three and five-reel slots, very few gambling websites compare. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 The rock press often compared them in ways that were less than flattering to Mellencamp. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 That compares with a fertility rate of 1.8 in neighboring France where President Emmanuel Macron recently fretted that the country needs to take action against a demographic time bomb. Alessandra Migliaccio, Fortune Europe, 11 Mar. 2024 In Sync Heartbeat One of the most notable features of an electric vehicle is how much quieter, and smoother to accelerate, it is compared with a combustion-engine car. Bloomberg, Fortune Asia, 10 Mar. 2024 Republicans were able to keep non-defense spending relatively flat compared with the previous year. Kevin Freking, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024 Lange explains in her book that the problem was a glut of them—America just had so much space to build shopping centers, compared with other countries, and then along came Amazon and every other kind of online retail. Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2024 Elections in Iran have never been free and fair, compared with the standards of democratic countries, because candidates go through a strict vetting process controlled by the government. Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Here’s how vehicle taxes compare across the country. Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
One way to do this is to perform a self-assessment, then ask others for their assessment of you and see how the two compare. Leon E. Moores, Md, Dsc, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The island’s pure, natural simplicity is without compare. Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 25 Jan. 2024 But since the preferred outcome depends on the activity, they can’t be used as a unit to cross compare designs. Lindsey Lapointe, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024 While fashion weeks in Paris are a phenomenon without compare, the city also blitzes art for several days through October. Amy Verner, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2023 Ranking every Wes Anderson movie:How does 'Asteroid City' compare? Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 22 June 2023 To see for yourself how the two compare, watch the full video tour above. Megan Stein, Peoplemag, 2 Aug. 2023 None of these compare, however, to a cave in southern Spain which – it has just been revealed – has been visited by humans for over 41,000 years. Julia Buckley, CNN, 16 May 2023 The genomes of ancient humans are therefore an invaluable resource for scientists who want to understand how different aspects of their physiology compare with ours. Kate Golembiewski, Discover Magazine, 15 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'compare.' 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

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French comparer, from Latin comparare to couple, compare, from compar like, from com- + par equal

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1589, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near compare

Cite this Entry

“Compare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compare. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

compare

1 of 2 verb
com·​pare kəm-ˈpa(ə)r How to pronounce compare (audio)
-ˈpe(ə)r
compared; comparing
1
: to describe as similar
compare an anthill to a town
2
: to examine in order to discover likenesses or differences
compare two bicycles
3
a
: to be worthy of comparison
roller-skating does not compare with ice-skating
b
: to appear in comparison to others
compares well with the rest of the class
4
: to inflect or modify (an adjective or adverb) according to the degrees of comparison

compare

2 of 2 noun
: the possibility of comparing
beauty beyond compare
Etymology

Verb

Middle English comparen "to show to be similar, examine for points of likeness," from early French comparer (same meaning), from Latin comparare "to couple, compare," from compar (adjective) "like, similar," from com- "with, together" and par "equal" — related to pair, par, peer, umpire see Word History at umpire

More from Merriam-Webster on compare

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