What is the difference between compared to and compared with

To compare two things is to evaluate them in reference to each other, their similarities and their differences. Both prepositions to and with may be used with this verb (e.g., compared to and compared with).

In most situations they can be interchangeable and your meaning will be clear. A century ago, with was the favorite. Now it has fallen out of favor and compared to is found more often.

If you or your audience are focused on nuances, there is a traditional distinction between the two prepositions. But again, most of the time this difference is disregarded and to is the favored preposition for all comparisons.

Compared with is usually referring to two objects of similar classification (e.g., dogs to dogs and cats to cats). Within this similar order, the user is speaking of the differences between the two objects of comparison.

Compared to is referring to two items in different classifications (e.g., dogs to cats or cats to cars). In these differing classifications, the user is pointing out similarities between the two seemingly unrelated objects.

Again, most of the time the difference in meaning between to and with goes unnoticed by readers. However, there is always one or two that will appreciate the distinction.

Examples

Oil and natural gas producer Hess Corp reported a loss compared with a profit a year earlier, when it reported after-tax gains of $1.34 billion related to asset sales. [Reuters Africa]

Fewer than 1% of public-sector employees lost their jobs in 2013, compared with 3.3% in the private sector. [Business in Vancouver]

It showed that a drought that affected the American West from 2000 to 2004 compared to conditions seen during the medieval megadroughts. [The Washington Post]

Despite the heavy decline in its share price, this stock is still more expensive (when compared to its current earnings) than most other companies in its industry. [The Street]

Making comparisons is a common component of scientific writing. We analyze two or more things in relation to each other to note similarities or differences as a way of contextualizing and understanding results. In English, “compare” or “compared” is often accompanied by the preposition “to” or “with.” Both are grammatically correct, so how do we know which one to use?  Hint: The answer has to do with whether the emphasis is on the similarities or the differences between the items being compared.

Test your knowledge. Which preposition would you use for the examples below?

• Compared Labradors, Poodles require more grooming.
• The Beagle’s intelligence level is not high compared  that of other hunting dog breeds.
• The children playing and wrestling in the yard were compared  young puppies.

Here’s the scoop:

• If your purpose is to draw attention to the differences between elements that are basically of the same type or category, use compare with. Compared with Labradors, Poodles require more grooming.

  The Beagle’s intelligence level is not high compared with that of other hunting dog breeds.

• If your purpose is to show similarities between elements that are basically of a different type or classification, use compare to. The children playing and wrestling in the yard were compared to young puppies.

  Famous example from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Chances are the kind of comparisons you’re making in your research article serve to point out the differences between items of the same type; for example, comparing the effects of one drug with another drug, comparing the elasticity of two materials, or comparing the results of a test group with the control group. Whether you write “compared with” or “compared to,” your meaning will still be understood; however, compared with will be appreciated by editors as the correct choice.

Specificity in writing is an admirable goal. As writers, we should aim to be as specific and clear as possible, so our readers know precisely what we mean in our writing.

Today, I want to talk about the phrases compare to and compare with. 

Continue reading to find out which situations these were, and whether you should choose compare with or compare to for your writing.

What is the Difference Between Compare to and Compare with?

In this article, I will compare the English phrases compare to vs. compare with. I will use each phrase in a sentence to illustrate its proper use.

Plus, at the end, I will discuss a helpful memory trick to use when deciding whether you should choose compare to or compare with in your writing.

What Does Compare Mean?

Before looking at either of these phrases, we should look at the verb with which each phrase begins: compare.

Compare is a verb that means to examine the similarities and differences between two objects or concepts. A preposition—usually to or with—links the two nouns in the comparison, and in the sentence.

In other words, both of these phrases are used to look at two different items side by side, i.e., to compare them.

Now, let’s look at the phrases at hand.

When to Use Compare To

• He compared their historic win to that of the 1992 Dream Team.
• His fight for civil rights is comparable to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The phrase compare to is used when the intent is to assert, without the need for elaboration, that two or more items are similar.

When to Use Compare With

• They won the championship in a clean sweep, compared with last year’s game 7 loss.
• Let’s compare your record with your rhetoric.

The phrase compare with is used to juxtapose two or more items to illustrate similarities and/or differences.

Compare To vs. Compare With: What’s the Difference?

If you still aren’t sure of the differences between these two phrases, let’s compare two of the above examples side by side.

• He compared this year’s historic win to that of the 1992 Dream Team.
• They won the championship in a clean sweep, compared with last year’s game 7 loss.

As you can see in the first example, the author is saying that this year’s win is similar to the 1992 win of the Dream Team. You are likening the two events.

In the second example, that author is pointing out the differences between this two different championship wins. You are juxtaposing the events looking at their differences.

In other words, the phrase compare to is really meant to liken things together, whereas the phrase compare with is used to juxtapose things with each.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Compare with is used to juxtapose two or more things with each other, looking at similarities and differences.

Compare to is used when likening two things together.

You can remember to use compare to for drawing similarities by imagining that you are making an informal analogy—which is more formally stated A is to B as C is to D.

In an analogy, you draw similarities between two or more things, just like you do when you use compare to. This should stick in your mind since they both contain the word to.

Summary

Is it compare to or compare with? Compare is a verb that means to explore similarities and differences between two items.

When used with the preposition with, it refers to weighing or balancing one thing against another. When used with the preposition to, it refers to a suggestion that two things are similar.

If you need a refresher, you can always read back through this article to review the differences between these phrases.