comparable

comparable — adjective

1. near enough to something else in a measurable way — for example, in size, cost,

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

near enough to something else in a measurable way — for example, in size, cost, or quality — so that the two can reasonably be seen as being at the same level.

Example

Ravi found a flat whose rent was comparable to the one he paid in Osaka.

comparable to + noun (the compared item)

Hana's test scores are comparable to those of students who studied twice as long.

comparable to + those of + group

Common collocations
  • comparable to
  • comparable in size
  • comparable in quality
  • roughly comparable
  • directly comparable
Synonyms
  • similar

    broader; does not require an equal level on a measurable scale

  • equivalent

    stricter; means equal in value, amount, or meaning, not just close

  • analogous

    highlights parallel function or structure across different domains

Antonyms
  • incomparable

    so different or superior that comparison is impossible

  • dissimilar

    simply not alike; weaker than 'incomparable'

Grammar Patterns

be comparable to + noun

be comparable in + noun (area of comparison)

be comparable with + noun

Usage Note

Almost always followed by 'to' when the other item is named: 'X is comparable to Y.' Use 'in' to specify the dimension being compared: 'comparable in size / price / quality.' Distinguished from sense 2: sense 1 focuses on how similar two things already are; sense 2 asks whether a comparison can validly be made at all.

Common Mistakes

My salary is comparable with yours.' (when describing similarity)
My salary is comparable to yours.
for describing similarity in amount, use 'to', not 'with'.
This car is comparable cheap.
This car is comparable in price to that one.
'comparable' is an adjective, not an adverb; do not use it to modify another adjective.

2. having enough shared features or a common basis to make a fair or useful compari

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

having enough shared features or a common basis to make a fair or useful comparison between two or more items reasonable.

Example

These two films are not comparable — one a comedy, the other a war film.

negative: not comparable + reason

Nadia argued that a teacher's workload is not comparable with a factory worker's hours.

not comparable with + counterexample

Common collocations
  • not comparable
  • comparable with
  • hardly comparable
  • not directly comparable
  • simply not comparable
Synonyms
  • commensurable

    formal; strictly means measurable by the same standard

  • on a par

    informal phrase; stresses equal standing for comparison

Antonyms
  • incomparable

    literally not able to be compared; also used for extraordinary quality

  • unlike

    suggests difference but does not deny possibility of comparison

Grammar Patterns

be not comparable

be comparable with + noun

not comparable unless / because

Usage Note

Very often appears in negative statements ('not comparable') or in questions that challenge whether a comparison is valid. The preposition 'with' is more common than 'to' in this sense: 'X is not comparable with Y.' Distinguished from sense 1: sense 2 asks whether the conditions for comparison exist at all; sense 1 describes a degree of similarity between things already accepted as comparable.

Common Mistakes

The two books are not comparable to each other.' (vague reference)
The two books are not comparable because they belong to different genres.
give a reason why the comparison is invalid.
These two things are incomparable to compare.' (redundant)
These two things are simply not comparable.
'comparable' already contains the idea of comparison; do not add 'to compare'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe two items that share features, but they differ in how exact or measurable the likeness is. 'Comparable' is the right choice when you want to say two things are close on a measurable scale — size, cost, or quality — so that a side-by-side judgement feels fair: 'Rents here are comparable to those in the city centre.' 'Similar' is the broadest option; two things merely share some characteristics, with no claim about equal level: 'We have similar taste in music.' 'Equivalent' is stricter — it means exactly equal in value, amount, or meaning: 'A five-dollar bill is equivalent to five one-dollar coins.' 'Analogous' highlights a parallel in structure or function across different contexts: 'The heart's job is analogous to a pump.' 'Alike' is more conversational and usually follows the verb: 'The twins look alike, but their personalities differ.' For Taiwanese learners, choosing 'comparable' when they mean 'similar' can sound too strong, so remember that comparable implies a shared scale of measurement.

comparable ↗similar ↗equivalent ↗analogous ↗alike ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be comparable to
  • not comparable with
  • comparable in size to
  • offer a comparable service
  • at a comparable price

Prepositions

  • comparable to
  • comparable with
  • comparable in

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Borrowed into Middle English in the 1400s from Old French 'comparable', which came from Latin 'comparabilis' meaning 'able to be placed on equal footing'. The Latin word is built from 'com-' ('together') and 'parare' ('to make equal, to pair up'), which itself comes from 'par' ('equal') — the same ancient root that gives us 'peer', 'pair', and 'compare'. The core idea has stayed the same across all these languages: putting two things side by side to see how they match up.