an impossible comparison

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an impossible comparison" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing two things that cannot be fairly compared due to significant differences. Example: "Comparing the two films is an impossible comparison, as they belong to entirely different genres and eras."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This is an impossible comparison.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

This innovative protocol allowed the previously impossible comparison of the distribution of 21 CL species within several CL clusters in brain subregions.

Analytical Chemistry

Recognition of the importance of establishing fidelity emerged from the difficult, if not impossible comparison of effectiveness, the growing emphasis on accountability, and the gap between research and practice [ 8].

BMC Health Services Research

Yet while a state default isn't impossible, comparisons with, say, Greece or Italy are misleading.

The New York Times

Another limiting factor is the reduced number of patients using a 3.0 T scanner, rendering impossible comparisons between the curves generated by different fields.

BioMed Research International

Because Polidori is a man driven to contemplate life "on a grander, imagined scale" than his circumstances and abilities allow (in spite of his father's warnings about seeking to make "impossible comparisons"), he encourages a young woman, Eliza Esmond, to believe that he is Byron returned secretly from exile.

The Guardian - Books

They should be enjoying what LeBron is doing, not preoccupying themselves with needless and impossible comparisons in hopes of determining an imaginary and inconsequential ranking.

Huffington Post

It reminds me of one other lie only one other lie, ever in my life that I have told, that this kind of music is for people who try too hard to hide their inferior intellect by drawing elaborate, impossible comparisons between Tarkovsky movies and a dream they had once but say is recurring.

Vice

In many articles responders are not so well identifiable and in a very few ones the partial response was clearly described in terms of reduction of headache frequency, intensity or both, making almost impossible a comparison between the activity of different drugs on these aspects of pain.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Finally, among the few studies comparing the results obtained using ' a priori' and ' a posteriori' methods, two of them were carried out mainly in Asian women (Wu et al, 2009; Butler et al, 2010) and failed to identify a Mediterranean pattern using PCA, making impossible a clear comparison.

British Journal of Cancer

An LR PCM model would require cross terms due to linearity, which would make a direct comparison impossible.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an impossible comparison" to highlight fundamental incompatibilities, preventing meaningful insights.

Common error

Avoid using "an impossible comparison" when a comparison is merely difficult or challenging, not fundamentally impossible. Reserve this phrase for situations where the differences are so significant that any comparison would be inherently flawed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an impossible comparison" functions as a noun phrase, where "impossible" modifies the noun "comparison". It serves to categorize a specific type of comparison, marking it as unfeasible or illogical due to inherent disparities. As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an impossible comparison" is a phrase used to denote comparisons that are fundamentally flawed due to significant disparities between the subjects being compared. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and general applicability. While versatile, it's important to reserve it for situations where comparisons are truly infeasible, not merely difficult. Alternative phrases like ""an unfair comparison"" or ""a meaningless comparison"" may be more appropriate in certain contexts. Usage spans various fields from science to news media, highlighting its broad relevance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an invalid comparison

Focuses on the comparison being logically flawed or not permissible.

an unfair comparison

Highlights the inequity or bias present in the comparison.

an inappropriate comparison

Emphasizes that the comparison is unsuitable or ill-advised.

a meaningless comparison

Indicates the comparison yields no valuable information or insight.

an irrelevant comparison

Stresses that the compared items lack a significant connection.

a flawed comparison

Points out the presence of defects or shortcomings in the comparison process.

a skewed comparison

Indicates that the comparison is distorted or biased in a particular direction.

a misleading comparison

Suggests that the comparison is deceptive or creates a false impression.

an unequal comparison

Highlights the imbalance or disparity between the items being compared.

a nonsensical comparison

Implies that the comparison is illogical or makes no sense.

FAQs

How can I use "an impossible comparison" in a sentence?

Use "an impossible comparison" to describe situations where two things are so different that comparing them is not meaningful or fair. For example: "Comparing the cost of living in New York City and a small rural town is "an impossible comparison" due to the vast differences in economic opportunities and lifestyle."

What are some alternatives to saying "an impossible comparison"?

You can use alternatives like "an unfair comparison", "an inappropriate comparison", or "a meaningless comparison" depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "an impossible comparison"?

It's appropriate when the subjects being compared have fundamentally different characteristics or contexts that render any comparison inherently flawed. Think of comparing apples and oranges in terms of nutritional value without considering other factors.

What is the difference between "an unfair comparison" and "an impossible comparison"?

"An unfair comparison" implies that the comparison is biased or skewed, while ""an impossible comparison"" suggests that the two things being compared are so fundamentally different that any comparison is meaningless. The first implies bias, the second, futility.