compare

Question

Hi!Could you tell me please which form is correct or more often used?In comparison with Jake, Bob is tall.Compared to (or with?) Jake, Bob is tall. Thanks!

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Compared to/with Jake, Bob is tall.

H.W. Fowler:

'Compare', in the sense 'suggest or state a similarity', is regularly followed by 'to', not 'with'; in the sense 'examine or set forth the details of a supposed similarity or estimate its degree', it is regularly followed by 'with', not 'to'.
'He compared me to Demosthenes' means that he suggested that I was comparable to him or put me in the same class; 'He compared me with Demosthenes' means that he instituted a detailed comparison or pointed out where & how far I resembled or failed to resemble him.

'Compared with/to him, I am a bungler'-- This is a common sentence type in which either sense is applicable.
After the intransitive verb ('A boiled mullet cannot compare with a baked one'), 'with' alone is possible.

Am Heritage Dictionary:

'Compare' usually takes the preposition 'to' when it refers to the activity of describing the resemblances between unlike things: 'He compared her to a summer day.' 'Scientists sometimes compare the human brain to a computer.' It takes 'with' when it refers to the act of examining two like things in order to discern their similarities or differences: 'The police compared the forged signature with the original.' 'The committee will have to compare the Senate's version of the bill with the version that was passed by the House.' When 'compare' is used to mean 'to liken (one) with another', 'with' is traditionally held to be the correct preposition: 'That little bauble is not to be compared with (not to) this enormous jewel'. But 'to' is frequently used in this context and is not incorrect.

Vsuresh · Answer

The explanation is very helpful. Thank you,sir.

compare

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬