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compare

com·pare

compare

 
 
pronunciation:
km per
features:
Note, Word Parts
part of speech: verb
inflections: compares, comparing, compared
definition 1: to note or describe the similarities or differences of.
The teacher compared the climate in the U.S. with the climate in Mexico.
similar words:
contrast
definition 2: to bring together for the purpose of discovering similarities and differences.
I compared the two brands of soup and decided this one tastes better.
similar words:
measure, oppose, relate
definition 3: to speak of (one thing) as similar to another.
His mother often compares his bedroom to a pigsty.
definition 4: to be considered similar.
Not even the greatest of paintings can compare to the beauty of a sunset.
similar words:
approximate, correspond, match
derivation: comparer (n.)
compare to or compare with?
Compare to is used to say that something is like another thing. Compare with is used when you look at two things to find out whether they are the same or different, or to describe in what ways they are similar or different. In recent years, the use of "compare with" has decreased, however, and many people are using "compare to" for both meanings, especially in the expression "compared to." Some strict grammar teachers might still say that the sentence "It's very cold today compared to yesterday" is incorrect, but the use of "to" in this type of sentence is accepted as correct by most people nowadays.
Compare:
  • She compared her boyfriend to a handsome movie star.
  • She compared her old car with her new car.
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