What is a word or phrase that expresses the idea of purposely making something seem better by comparison? For example, lemon Starburst was created to make the cherry flavor seem that much tastier.
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Is there something about by comparison that you don't like, or are you just looking for alternatives?– CameronCommented Apr 21, 2012 at 23:18
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The latter. I asked the question because I keep on thinking there is a more specific term that I just can't remember.– jsuissaCommented Apr 21, 2012 at 23:41
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4 Answers
The name for something that is used to make something else look different by comparison is a foil:
foil, noun. Anything that serves by contrast of colour or quality to adorn another thing or set it off to advantage.
The presence of a foil induces a cognitive bias known as a contrast effect.
I'm not aware of any terms that mean to create a foil or to induce a contrast effect.
Watson is a perfect foil for Holmes because his relative obtuseness makes Holmes's deductions seem more brilliant.
[Britannica Online]
(emphasis mine.)
Differentiated.
The lemon starburt differentiated cherry from other flavors.
You can say something like: "The lemon Starburt was created to make cherry flavor seem tastier by comparison."
