compare apples and oranges
Meaning(s)
1. a comparison of two things that can not be practically compared
Popularity
Medium
Professional
Medium
Social
How to Memorize
you can't compare apples and oranges
Analysis
The idiom 'comparing apples and oranges' means to compare two things that are so fundamentally different that a comparison cannot accurately be made. "Comparing the education of wealthy university students to people of the same age living in poverty is like comparing apples and oranges." This is a popular idiom in social and professional contexts.
Social Examples (Advance)
- Comparing nurses and engineers is like comparing apples and oranges.
- You can't compare football and tennis. It's like comparing apples and oranges, said the sports commentator.
Professional Examples (Advance)
- I wouldn't consider that company competition, comparing our leading products is like comparing apples and oranges.
- I think we can implement both approaches rather than one or the other. Comparing them to each other is like comparing apples and oranges.