kəmˈperɪŋ ˈæpəlz tuː ˈɔrɪndʒɪz
Food & Cooking
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- Making a comparison between apples and oranges
What does "comparing apples to oranges" mean?
- Comparing two things that are fundamentally different
- Making an unfair or invalid comparison
Examples
- Comparing our small startup to their corporation is like comparing apples to oranges.
- You're comparing apples to oranges—those are completely different situations.
- His comparison of the two movies was comparing apples to oranges.
Origin
The phrase points out that apples and oranges are both fruit but differ significantly, making direct comparison misleading. Variations exist in many languages, dating to at least the 17th century in English.
How to use it
Very common expression to criticize flawed comparisons. Often used in debates and discussions about fairness.
Similar expressions
apples and oranges
invalid comparison
false equivalence
Opposites
fair comparison
like for like
Related idioms
- piece of cake
Something very easy to do
- a piece of cake
Something very easy to do
- in a nutshell
In a very brief or concise form
- an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Eating fruit or having a healthy diet helps maintain good health
- bite off more than you can chew
To take on more responsibility or work than one can handle
- don't put all your eggs in one basket
Don't risk everything on a single opportunity
Use it in a practice answer
Try "comparing apples to oranges" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.