compare and contrast

English

Verb

compare and contrast (third-person singular simple present compares and contrasts, present participle comparing and contrasting, simple past and past participle compared and contrasted)

1. (transitive) To assess both the similarities and the differences between two or more things.
   • 2002, Frances Forward, The NEC Compared and Contrasted, Thomas Telford, →ISBN:
   • 2014 February 1, Garth Sundem, Biography Strategy Lesson--Compare and Contrast, Teacher Created Materials, →ISBN, page 18:

     Explain how to use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast information: […]

   • 2014 July 15, Sandra K. Athans, Robin W. Parente, Tips & Tricks for Comparing and Contrasting Texts, The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc, →ISBN, page 32:

     How well have you grasped the tips and tricks for comparing and contrasting literature? Based on your performance and self-evaluation, decide if you're ready to move on to the next chapter or if you would like to take another pass […]

Usage notes

• “Compare and contrast” may be used in contexts such as examination questions to emphasize that both similarities and differences should be considered, since this is otherwise ambiguous from “compare” alone.