comparatively

IPA/kəmˈpærətɪvli/
KK[kəmpˈɛrətɪvli]IPA/kəmˈperətɪvli/

comparatively — adverb

1. after you compare something with another thing, it seems this way or to this deg

1.adverbB2
Definition

after you compare something with another thing, it seems this way or to this degree.

Example

The train is comparatively cheap if you book the tickets early.

comparatively + adjective

Shanti recovered comparatively quickly after the knee operation.

comparatively + adverb

Synonyms
  • relatively

    more common and less formal in everyday English

  • fairly

    shows a moderate degree, but it does not always suggest a comparison

  • somewhat

    often suggests a smaller degree and sounds slightly more formal

Grammar Patterns

comparatively + adjective

comparatively + adverb

Usage Note

Usually placed before an adjective or adverb. It is more formal than 'relatively' and is especially common when writing compares one situation with another.

Common Mistakes

The exam was comparative easy.
The exam was comparatively easy.
'comparative' is an adjective; before another adjective you need the adverb 'comparatively'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

'Comparatively' and 'relatively' are very close, but 'comparatively' sounds a little more formal and often appears in writing that weighs one thing against another. You can say 'a comparatively small loss' or 'a relatively small loss', but 'relatively' is more common in everyday speech. 'Fairly' also shows a middle degree, yet it often just means 'quite' and may not suggest any clear comparison at all: 'fairly busy' can stand on its own. 'Somewhat' is usually a little more cautious and can sound more detached or academic. If the sentence clearly sets one thing beside another, 'comparatively' is often the sharpest choice. If you simply want a natural spoken word for a moderate degree, 'relatively' or 'fairly' will usually sound easier.

relatively ↗fairly ↗somewhat ↗

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Built from the adjective 'comparative' and the adverb ending '-ly'. The family goes back to Latin 'comparare', meaning 'to match one thing against another or examine them together'. In English, 'comparatively' developed the sense of judging something by setting it beside something else.