holds a candle to

phrase

present tense third-person singular of hold a candle to
as in compares (with)
to come near or nearer to in character or quality This "guilt free" macaroni and cheese doesn't hold a candle to the real thing.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Thesaurus Entries Near holds a candle to

Cite this Entry

“Holds a candle to.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20a%20candle%20to. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Challenging Standardized Test Words, Vol. 2

  • a pencil broken in half on top of a test answer sheet
  • The business’s new computer system proved not to be a panacea.
Name That Thing

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY