に比べて

に比べて is used to point out a contrast between two things or situations by referring to a reference point. It indicates that something is more or less true, better or worse, or otherwise different when compared with another thing. The comparison target can be a time frame (去年に比べて), a place, a person, a product, a situation, etc. It often appears after the thing being contrasted and is followed by the main clause describing how the subject differs from that reference point. Be mindful of whether you’re highlighting a positive or negative difference, and choose vocabulary accordingly.