be comparable in size

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'be comparable in size' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when indicating that two or more objects are of a similar size. For example: "The two houses were comparable in size."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The target weight for a tablet PC, Clark says, is about 3 pounds, and it should be comparable in size and shape to a pad of standard-sized notebook paper.

Forbes

The work force needed to service, say, $100 billion in student loans must surely be comparable in size to the work force needed to lend the same amount.

The New York Times

The affordable units, available by lottery, had to be comparable in size and mixed in with their market-rate counterparts.

The New York Times

And when addressing other companies that might be comparable in size and profitability to the operating-systems concern, Mr. Greenhill and Mr. Williams were vague, giving no example except for Microsoft itself.

The New York Times

Larger micro CHP devices have been sporadically available in the UK for a number of years, but the Ecogen by Baxi – which will be launched today at London's Ecobuild show and will go on sale at the start of April through British Gas – is the first to be comparable in size to a conventional boiler.

The Guardian

They will be comparable in size and weight to PDAs offered by competitors Palm and Hewlett-Packard.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

A suitable control must be a micron-sized light source that is comparable in size to the V.fischeri cells, feebly luminescent (no brighter than the weak luminescence of a single V.fischeri cell), and absolutely stable in its output.

Plosone

If the two are comparable in size, they are completely different in the nature of their skiing.

The New York Times - Travel

"Most of the gardens at Colonial Williamsburg are comparable in size to today's home lots," he said.

The New York Times

The president of the United States-based Mineral Policy Center said the spill is comparable in size and impact to a mine-cyanide spill in the Alamosa River in Colorado near Summitville in 1992.

The New York Times

It all consumed enormous amounts of fuel: in 2010, Bagram Airfield, which was comparable in size to KAF, used nearly 1.6 million gallons per week.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "be comparable in size", ensure you are comparing objects or entities that share similar characteristics beyond just size, to provide a meaningful comparison.

Common error

Avoid using "be comparable in size" when the size difference is significant. Instead, use phrases like "be smaller than" or "be larger than" to accurately reflect the size relationship.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be comparable in size" functions as a predicate adjective, describing the subject's attribute of having a similar size to something else. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. The function is to qualify the dimensions of an object.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

41%

Encyclopedias

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "be comparable in size" is a grammatically sound and useful phrase for indicating that two or more entities share similar dimensions. While not as common as other size descriptors, Ludwig AI confirms its appropriate use in various contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedic writing. The phrase serves to qualify the dimensions of an object and is most suitable for situations where a relative measurement aids understanding. Remember to ensure the comparison is meaningful and the size difference isn't overstated. Considering alternatives like "be similar in dimension" or "be roughly the same size" can offer more nuanced descriptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be similar in dimension

Focuses on the dimension aspect rather than just the overall size.

be roughly the same size

Indicates an approximate similarity in size, allowing for minor differences.

be of comparable magnitude

Emphasizes the scale or extent, which might be broader than just physical size.

be nearly identical in size

Suggests a very close similarity, approaching but not necessarily reaching identical size.

be on a similar scale

Highlights that they share the same order of magnitude.

be close in size

A more concise way of expressing similarity in size.

be of equivalent size

Emphasizes equivalency, which can imply a more precise measurement.

approximate in size

Describes that something estimates the size of another one.

correlate in dimension

Emphasizes correlation instead of comparable.

equal in spatial extension

Highlights the spatial extension of the object.

FAQs

How can I use "be comparable in size" in a sentence?

You can use "be comparable in size" to indicate that two or more items have roughly the same dimensions. For instance, "The new model and the previous version "are comparable in size"".

What phrases are similar to "be comparable in size"?

Alternatives to "be comparable in size" include "be similar in dimension", "be roughly the same size", or "be nearly identical in size".

When is it appropriate to use "be comparable in size"?

Use "be comparable in size" when you want to convey that two or more things share similar physical dimensions, without necessarily being exactly the same size.

What's the difference between "be comparable in size" and "be identical in size"?

"Be comparable in size" indicates a similarity in dimension, while "be identical in size" implies that the dimensions are exactly the same. The first suggests approximation; the second, precision.