compare apples and/to/with oranges
idiom
: to compare things that are very different
To compare large trucks with compact cars is to compare apples with oranges.
Examples of compare apples and/to/with oranges in a Sentence
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So don’t compare apples to oranges: A carmaker with a P/E of 15 may be overvalued, while 15 can be an attractive P/E for a software company.
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The Motley Fool, Dallas News, 27 Aug. 2023
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The Motley Fool, Dallas News, 27 Aug. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Compare apples and/to/with oranges.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compare%20apples%20and%2Fto%2Fwith%20oranges. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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