[Idiom] CAN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO. - Exploring Standards and Excellence in Performance
Can't hold a candle to.
inferior
'Can't hold a candle to' means someone or something is not at all equivalent in quality or performance to another. Historically, an apprentice would hold a candle so that more skilled workers could see to work by. If the apprentice couldn't even hold the candle properly, they were not remotely up to the task. This idiom expresses that someone isn't even close to being as good or capable as someone else.
Example Sentences
His performance can't hold a candle to hers.
His performance is not as good as hers.
The new model can't hold a candle to the old one in terms of durability.
The new model is not as durable as the old one.
Her cooking skills can't hold a candle to her grandmother's recipes.
Her cooking skills are not as good as her grandmother's recipes.