This is the 427th most frequent Russian word.
сравнению
"Сравнению" means "comparison" in English.
Here, 'сравнению' is used in the phrase 'по сравнению с', which means 'in comparison with', indicating a comparison between two time periods.
По сравнению с прошлым годом, бюджет увеличился.
In comparison to last year, the budget has increased.
In this sentence, 'сравнению' is used to express a comparative viewpoint or context for evaluating methods.
Если говорить в сравнении, этот метод эффективнее.
If we speak in comparison, this method is more effective.
Here 'сравнению' is used as a part of 'для сравнения', meaning 'for comparison', denoting that the data will be juxtaposed for evaluative purposes.