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Just wondering if the following sentence is correct:

"A and B are never on par."

Is it equivalent to saying that A and B are not equal?

Must the phrase "on par" always be followed by "with"?

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    The usual expression is 'on a par with', where 'par' means a level or standard - so, no, 'on par' doesn't mean 'equal'. – Kate Bunting Nov 04 '18 at 15:47
  • Ah I see. Thanks, Kate. So does that mean that the sentence is actually incorrect? –  Nov 04 '18 at 16:09
  • On a par with is use for comparisons to something but it is no mathematical at all. – Lambie Nov 04 '18 at 16:57
  • @user367872 If the thing "X" which A and B are being compared with have been established, indicating with X would arguably be redundant. Full context is essential. – choster Nov 04 '18 at 22:02
  • Since someone seems to have badly misled you about the very idea of "par" can you tell us what "par" means to you? Can you tell us what your dictionaries, thesauruses or search engines left unclear?

    Sorry and "A and B are never on par" will always be broadly wrong.

    "Neither A nor B is on par" might work, depending on your context.

    It is never anything like equivalent to saying that A and B are not, or are equal.

    The phrase "on par" should never be followed by "with"; that would need "on a par" with.

    Does that difference make sense?

     – Robbie Goodwin Dec 04 '18 at 20:42

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From Merriam-Webster's definition of the idiom on (a) par with:

: at the same level or standard as (someone or something else)
// The new version of the software is on a par with the old one.
// His new book is on par with his best sellers.

The use of the indefinite article is optional; however, Google Books NGram Viewer suggests that the inclusion of the article is more common.

On par with or on a par with can mean the same thing as equal, but only in this one sense of the word.

You would not say, for instance, say that "1+2 is on a par with 4-1" when describing an equation. You might, however, say that "in terms of an acceptable answer, '1+2' is on a par with '4-1'."

I don't think that anybody would misunderstand you if you said that "A and B are never on par" (although, to my ears, "A and B are never on a par" sounds a bit off)—but it would be a nonstandard way of using the expression, which is normally used as a comparison in one direction.

More commonly, I expect, people would say that "A is never on (a) par with B."

Jason Bassford
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  • But "A is never on (a) par with B" suggests that A is always inferior to B, while "A and B are never on par" suggests simply that they are never "equal" (in whatever sense that word might apply). – Hot Licks May 07 '19 at 19:36