compare
compare
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "compare" is /kəmˈpɛr/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
kəm:
/k/: Voiceless velar stop
/ə/: Schwa (mid-central vowel)
/m/: Bilabial nasal
ˈpɛr:
/p/: Voiceless bilabial stop
/ɛ/: Open-mid front unrounded vowel (as in "bed")
/r/: Voiced alveolar approximant
Word Form Variations
Compare" is primarily a verb. It has several related forms that function as other parts of speech.
Verb Forms:
Base Form: compare (e.g., "Let's compare the two.")
Third-person singular present: compares (e.g., "She compares prices often.")
Present participle: comparing (e.g., "He is comparing notes.")
Past tense: compared (e.g., "They compared their findings.")
Past participle: compared (e.g., "The results were compared.")
Related Forms:
Noun: comparison (e.g., "She made a comparison.")
Adjective: comparable (e.g., "These two are comparable.")
Adjective: comparative (e.g., "This is a comparative study.")
Adverb: comparably (e.g., "They performed comparably.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb Definitions
To examine two or more things or people in order to note similarities and differences.
Synonyms: Contrast, differentiate, liken, equate, parallel, weigh
Antonyms: Disregard, ignore, dismiss, overlook, neglect, abandon
To express the similarity of something to something else; to liken.
Synonyms: Likening, correlating, juxtaposing, analogizing
Antonyms: Dissimilate, separate
(Often used with to or with) To be of a specified quality or degree when measured against something else.
Synonyms: Measure up to, stand up to, compete with, equal, rival
Antonyms: Fall short of, underperform, differ from
Examples of Use
Books
"It is impossible to compare the lives of these two sisters, so vastly different were their experiences." (Common in literary analysis or biographies)
"The author seeks to compare the political systems of ancient Rome and modern democracies." (From an academic text on political science)
Newspapers and Online Publications
"Consumers are urged to compare prices before making a large purchase to find the best deal." (The Guardian)
"How do the new climate targets compare to previous international agreements?" (The New York Times)
"Our analysis allows you to compare different investment strategies side-by-side." (Investopedia)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Film: "How does the film adaptation compare to the original book?" (A common question in film criticism or fan discussions)
Television: "Let's compare the contestants' performances from last week's episode." (Heard on reality competition shows)
Music: Fans often compare new artists to established legends in the genre. (Common in music reviews or discussions)
Video Games: Players frequently compare the graphics and gameplay of a new title to its predecessors or rivals.
General Public Discourse
"Don't compare your journey to anyone else's; everyone's path is different." (Common motivational advice)
"If you compare this year's harvest to last year's, you'll see a significant improvement." (Everyday conversation about trends)
"I wouldn't compare her artistic style to anyone else's; it's truly unique." (Expressing an opinion on individuality)
"How does Nairobi's public transport compare to other major African cities?" (Common question among travelers or urban planners)
10 Quotes Using Compare
"Comparison is the thief of joy." (Theodore Roosevelt) - This quote, though using "comparison," is a widely famous admonition against the act of to compare.
"Don't compare yourself with other people; compare yourself with who you were yesterday." (Jordan B. Peterson, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos)
"You can't compare an apple to an orange." (Common idiom, often attributed to various sources, about the futility of trying to compare dissimilar things)
"I will not reason and compare: my business is to create." (William Blake, Jerusalem)
"Undoubtedly, philosophers are in the right when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than by compare." (Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels)
"Even Kings and emperors with heaps of wealth and vast dominion cannot compare with an ant filled with the love of God." (Guru Nanak)
"The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot." (Salvador Dalí)
"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you." (Lao Tzu)
"There is nothing in this world that can compare with the Christian fellowship; nothing that can satisfy but Christ." (John D. Rockefeller)
"The moment you stop to compare your chapter one to someone else's chapter twenty, you lose." (Original, reflecting a popular sentiment)
Etymology
The word "compare" comes from the Latin verb "comparare," meaning "to bring together for comparison" or "to pair together." This Latin term is formed from "com-" (meaning "together" or "with") and "parare" (meaning "to make equal" or "to prepare").
So, at its root, "compare" is about putting things side-by-side to see their similarities or differences.
The first known use of "compare" in English, appearing around the late 14th century, referred to likening one thing to another, or setting things side-by-side to find their resemblances or disparities. This fundamental meaning has remained central to the word's use ever since.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Compare
Compare notes: To exchange ideas or information, often to see if one's understanding or experience is similar to another's.
Example: "Let's compare notes after the meeting."
Compare apples to oranges: To compare two things that are fundamentally different and thus cannot be meaningfully compared.
Example: "You can't compare apples to oranges when evaluating those two job offers."
Beyond compare: So excellent or outstanding that it cannot be matched or surpassed.
Example: "Her beauty was beyond compare."
Compare and contrast: To analyze two or more items by examining their similarities and differences.
Example: "Students were asked to compare and contrast the two historical periods."
No comparison: Indicating that one thing is vastly superior or inferior to another, making a true comparison impossible.
Example: "The old car had no comparison to the new model in terms of features."
Hold a candle to: (An idiom meaning to compare favorably with something else, usually in the negative).
Example: "No other restaurant in town can hold a candle to their pasta."
Measure up: (To meet a certain standard or expectation, often in comparison to others).
Example: "He worried he wouldn't measure up to his father's reputation."
Stack up against: (To compare in terms of quality or performance with another).
Example: "How does our new product stack up against the competition?"
Weigh in: (To offer an opinion or contribution, often in a discussion where different ideas are being compared).
Example: "Everyone got a chance to weigh in on the proposal."
Size up: (To assess or evaluate someone or something, often by comparison to expectations or other examples).
Example: "He tried to size up his opponent before the match."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of compare from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
