pale in/by comparison to/with
idiom
: to seem less important, good, serious, etc., when compared with (something else)
The afternoon meal paled in comparison to/with the feast they had later.
Last year's losses pale by comparison with this year's.
Examples of pale in/by comparison to/with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
No matter how many protesters show up, the number will pale in comparison to the 8.5 million city residents who will be spending the day going about their business, Adams said.
—
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025
Still, for Venezuelans like Escalante, the numbers pale in comparison to the human cost.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
Compared to a much older wine-producing area such as Europe, two generations of working with vines may pale in comparison to centuries-old wine growers at just a superficial level.
—Cathrine Todd, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
However, those numbers still pale in comparison with pre-pandemic box office totals, including $11.4 billion in 2019 and $11.9 billion in 2018.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pale in/by comparison to/with
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025
Still, for Venezuelans like Escalante, the numbers pale in comparison to the human cost.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
Compared to a much older wine-producing area such as Europe, two generations of working with vines may pale in comparison to centuries-old wine growers at just a superficial level.
—Cathrine Todd, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
However, those numbers still pale in comparison with pre-pandemic box office totals, including $11.4 billion in 2019 and $11.9 billion in 2018.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pale in/by comparison to/with
Cite this Entry
“Pale in/by comparison to/with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pale%20in%2Fby%20comparison%20to%2Fwith. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share