Definitions for compare
kəmˈpɛərcom·pare

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:2.5 / 6 votes

1. comparison, compare, equivalence, comparabilityverb

   qualities that are comparable

   "no comparison between the two books"; "beyond compare"

2. compareverb

   examine and note the similarities or differences of

   "John compared his haircut to his friend's"; "We compared notes after we had both seen the movie"

3. compareverb

   be comparable

   "This car does not compare with our line of Mercedes"

4. compare, liken, equateverb

   consider or describe as similar, equal, or analogous

   "We can compare the Han dynasty to the Romans"; "You cannot equate success in financial matters with greed"

5. compareverb

   to form the comparative or superlative form on an adjective or adverb

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.3 / 3 votes

1. compareverb

   To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things ["to compare X with Y"]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it similar to Y or different from Y.

2. compareverb

   To declare two things to be similar in some respect ["to compare X to Y"].

   Astronomers have compared comets to dirty snowballs

3. compareverb

   To form the three degrees of comparison of (an adjective).

   We compare good as good, better, best

4. compareverb

   To be similar (often used in the negative).

   A sapling and a fully-grown oak tree do not compare.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Comparenoun

   Etymology: from the verb.

   1. The state of being compared; comparative estimate; comparison; possibility of entering into comparison.

   There I the rarest things have seen,
   Oh, things without compare. John Suckling.

   As their small galleys may not hold compare
   With our tall ships. Edmund Waller.

   Beyond compare the Son of God was seen
   Most glorious. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. iii. l. 138.

   2. Simile; similitude; illustration by comparison.

   True swains in love shall in the world to come,
   Approve their truths by Troilus; when their rhimes,
   Full of protest, and oath, and big compare,
   Want similies. William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida.

2. To COMPAREverb

   Etymology: comparo, Latin.

   1. To make one thing the measure of another; to estimate the relative goodness or badness, or other qualities, of any one thing, by observing how it differs from something else.

   I will hear Brutus speak. ————
   I will hear Cassius, and compare their reasons. William Shakespeare.

   They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 2 Cor. x. 12.

   No man can think it grievous, who considers the pleasure and sweetness of love, and the glorious victory of overcoming evil with good; and then compares these with the restless torment, and perpetual tumults, of a malicious and revengeful spirit. John Tillotson, Sermon vi.

   He that has got the ideas of numbers, and hath taken the pains to compare one, two, and three to six, cannot chuse but know they are equal. John Locke.

   Thus much of the wrong judgment men make of present and future pleasure and pain, when they are compared together, and so the absent considered as future. John Locke.

   2. It may be observed, that when the comparison intends only similitude or illustration by likeness, we use to before the thing brought for illustration; as, he compared anger to a fire.

   Solon compared the people unto the sea, and orators and counsellors to the winds; for that the sea would be calm and quiet, if the winds did not trouble it. Francis Bacon, Apophthegms.

   3. When two persons or things are compared, to discover their relative proportion of any quality, with is used before the thing used as a measure.

   Black Macbeth
   Will seem as pure as snow, being compar’d
   With my confineless harms. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

   To compare
   Small things with greatest. John Milton, Paradise Regained, b. iv.

   He carv’d in iv’ry such a maid so fair,
   As nature could not with his art compare. Dryden.

   If he compares this translation with the original, he will find that the three first stanzas are rendered almost word for word. Joseph Addison, Spectator, №. 229.

   4. To compare is, in Edmund Spenser, used after the Latin comparo, for to get; to procure; to obtain.

   But, both from back and belly, still did spare
   To fill his bags, and riches to compare. Fairy Queen, b. i.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. compare

   To compare means to examine the similarities and/or differences between two or more items, individuals, or concepts. This process can be employed in order to make judgments, decisions, or to simply understand the characteristics of each item more thoroughly.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Compareverb

   to examine the character or qualities of, as of two or more persons or things, for the purpose of discovering their resemblances or differences; to bring into comparison; to regard with discriminating attention

2. Compareverb

   to represent as similar, for the purpose of illustration; to liken

3. Compareverb

   to inflect according to the degrees of comparison; to state positive, comparative, and superlative forms of; as, most adjectives of one syllable are compared by affixing "- er" and "-est" to the positive form; as, black, blacker, blackest; those of more than one syllable are usually compared by prefixing "more" and "most", or "less" and "least", to the positive; as, beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful

4. Compareverb

   to be like or equal; to admit, or be worthy of, comparison; as, his later work does not compare with his earlier

5. Compareverb

   to vie; to assume a likeness or equality

6. Comparenoun

   comparison

7. Comparenoun

   illustration by comparison; simile

8. Compareverb

   to get; to procure; to obtain; to acquire

9. Etymology: [L. comparare to prepare, procure; com- + parare. See Prepare, Parade.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Compare

   kom-pār′, v.t. to set things together, to ascertain how far they agree or disagree: to liken or represent as similar: (gram.) to inflect an adjective.—v.i. to hold comparison.—n. (obs.) comparison: similitude.—adj. Com′parable, that may be compared.—n. Com′parableness.—adv. Com′parably.—adj. Compar′ative, pertaining to comparison: estimated by comparing with something else: not positive or absolute: (gram.) expressing more.—adv. Compar′atively.—n. Compar′ison, the act of comparing: capacity of being compared: comparative estimate: a simile or figure by which two things are compared: (gram.) the inflection of an adjective.—Beyond compare, without any rival. [Fr.,—L. comparāre, to match, from com, together, parāre, to make or esteem equal—par, equal.]

2. Compare

   kom-pār′, v.t. (Spens.) to get or provide. [L. comparāre—com, inten., parāre, to prepare.]

Matched Categories

1. • Analyze
   • Be
   • Inflect

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'compare' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3991

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'compare' in Written Corpus Frequency: #3096

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'compare' in Verbs Frequency: #174

Anagrams for compare »

1. compear

How to pronounce compare?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say compare in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of compare in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of compare in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of compare in a Sentence

1. Jeremy Faust:

   Who knows what would be the case if we didn't have modern ICUs and we couldn't treat secondary infections with antibiotics or put people on ventilators or had oxygen, if you compare these viruses side by side, without all the medical bells and whistles we have today, I'd say Covid-19 is worse.

2. Clay Travis:

   ESPN is so proud of them that they're sharing the clip themselves with all of their audience, it's next level stupidity, first of all, to compare Chinese genocide with American voting rights ID laws. But it's also making me wonder, with all that Disney has connection-wise with China, are they trying to curry favor with China by spreading Chinese talking points propaganda to the American sporting fan? It just blows my mind.

3. Tom Brady:

   I feel like it's, for me, always about the team's success, so it's hard to compare one year to another. I feel like I want to play as a championship-level player. That's what I've said for a long time. When I'm not able to do that – I said a long time ago,' When I suck I'll retire,' but what I really meant was when I'm not capable of leading the team to victory then someone else has to do the job, i feel like I can do that. Obviously, we've put ourselves in a decent position – now we're in the postseason, and we've got to take care of a very tough opponent. I just love being out there with the guys. Let's see if we can beat a really tough Eagles team. This team is going to challenge us, and I'm going to have to play good football.

4. Kristin Kirkpatrick:

   Food is medicine, but it is hard to compare medicine that is created in a lab with something that is grown in the ground to determine what is going to be beneficial.

5. Hoda Kotb:

   It’s not unforgivable but I think it’s going to take some good PR, look, you can’t compare Brian Williams and the ‘Housewives’ but everyone should be forgiven.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=compare
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Compare
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=compare
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compare
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=compare