compare to, compare with

The verb compare can be followed by the prepositions to or with.

Compare to is used to express a likeness between two things.

  • The economy can be compared to a sluggish old horse.

Compare with means to put two things side by side to determine the differences and similarities. Compare with usually entails a more formal analysis.

  • Before you decide on where to go for your vacation, it may be relevant to compare Paris with Madrid.

Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada

Search by related themes

Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.