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Study Resource: Two-syllable adjectives that can take ‘-er’ / ‘-est’ comparatives and superlatives
Most two- have and forms like these:
more+ adjective
the most+ adjective
more anxious
the most anxious
But some can be formed by adding -er or -est to the end of the adjective:
-er
-est
yellower
yellowest
Read on to learn more!
Key to the tables below: |
---|
✅ → officially correct ❌ → officially incorrect Forms in red are almost never used.1 Forms in gray are uncommon forms.1 Forms in white are common forms.1 Note: Sometimes forms that are technically incorrect are still used by native speakers! |
1 In published writing, according to Google N-grams (2023)
Adjectives ending in ‘-y’
The table below shows the comparative forms of some common two-syllable adjectives that end in -y.
All two-syllable adjectives ending in -y have an -er / -est comparative and superlative form.
Some have a comparative with more / most.
Stem | -er comparative -est superlative | more comparative most superlative | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
busy | ✅ busier ✅ busiest | ❌ more busy ❌ most busy | |
happy | ✅ happier ✅ happiest | ❌ more happy ❌ most happy | |
angry | ✅ angrier ✅ angriest | ✅ more angry ✅ most angry | |
easy | ✅ easier ✅ easiest | ❌ more easy ❌ most easy | |
likely | ✅ liklier ✅ likeliest | ✅ more likely ✅ most likely | |
heavy | ✅ heavier ✅ heaviest | ❌ more heavy ❌ most heavy | |
bloody | ✅ bloodier ✅ bloodiest | ❌ more bloody ❌ most bloody | more bloodyis sometimes used, but most bloodyis usually not used |
sorry | ✅ sorrier ✅ sorriest | ✅ more sorry ✅ most sorry | sorriestis a little more common than most sorry |
tiny | ✅ tinier ✅ tiniest | ❌ more tiny ❌ most tiny | more tinyis used, but rarely |
early | ✅ earlier ✅ earliest | ❌ more early ❌ most early | |
empty | ✅ emptier ✅ emptiest | ❌ more empty ❌ most empty | Comparative and superlative forms are only used metaphorically (e.g. I’ve never heard an emptier argument.) |
funny | ✅ funnier ✅ funniest | ❌ more funny ❌ most funny | |
lucky | ✅ luckier ✅ luckiest | ✅ more lucky ✅ most lucky | |
friendly | ✅ friendlier ✅ friendliest | ✅ more friendly ✅ most friendly | Before about 1980, more/most friendly was much more common |
pretty | ✅ prettier ✅ prettiest | ❌ more pretty ❌ most pretty | |
fatty | ✅ fattier ✅ fattiest | ❌ more fatty ❌ most fatty | Before 1980, more fatty and most fatty were very common |
slippery | ✅ slipperier ✅ slipperiest | ❌ more slippery ❌ most slippery | slipperierless common than more slippery, probably because it is more difficult to pronounce. |
windy | ✅ windier ✅ windiest | ❌ more windy ❌ most windy | |
sleepy | ✅ sleepier ✅ sleepiest | ❌ more sleepy ❌ most sleepy | |
healthy | ✅ healthier ✅ healthiest | ✅ more healthy ✅ most healthy | healthierand healthiest are much more common |
dirty | ✅ dirtier ✅ dirtiest | ❌ more dirty ❌ most dirty | |
lonely | ✅ lonelier ✅ loneliest | ✅ more lonely ✅ most lonely | |
noisy | ✅ noisier ✅ noisiest | ❌ more noisy ❌ most noisy | |
lazy | ✅ lazier ✅ laziest | ❌ more lazy ❌ most lazy | |
tricky | ✅ trickier ✅ trickiest | ❌ more tricky ❌ most tricky | |
tricky | ✅ trickier ✅ trickiest | ❌ more tricky ❌ most tricky | |
sturdy | ✅ sturdier ✅ sturdiest | ❌ more sturdy ❌ most sturdy | |
guilty | ✅ guiltier ✅ guiltiest | ✅ more guilty ✅ most guilty | Though not all dictionaries accept more/most guilty, they are actually slightly more common |
wealthy | ✅ wealthier ✅ wealthiest | ✅ more wealthy ✅ most wealthy | |
fancy | ✅ fancier ✅ fanciest | ❌ more fancy ❌ most fancy | |
gloomy | ✅ gloomier ✅ gloomiest | ❌ more gloomy ❌ most gloomy | |
silly | ✅ sillier ✅ silliest | ❌ more silly ❌ most silly | More silly is used occasionally, but most silly is very rare |
crazy | ✅ crazier ✅ craziest | ❌ more crazy ❌ most crazy | More crazyis used rarely |
ugly | ✅ uglier ✅ ugliest | ❌ more ugly ❌ most ugly | |
sunny | ✅ sunnier ✅ sunniest | ❌ more sunny ❌ most sunny | |
tidy | ✅ tidier ✅ tidiest | ❌ more tidy ❌ most tidy | |
risky | ✅ riskier ✅ riskiest | ❌ more risky ❌ most risky | |
skinny | ✅ skinnier ✅ skinniest | ❌ more skinny ❌ most skinny | |
tasty | ✅ tastier ✅ tastiest | ❌ more tasty ❌ most tasty | |
thirsty | ✅ thirstier ✅ thirstiest | ❌ more thirsty ❌ most thirty | |
rainy | ✅ rainier ✅ rainiest | ❌ more rainy ❌ most rainy | |
spicy | ✅ spicier ✅ spiciest | ❌ more spicy ❌ most spicy | |
curly | ✅ curlier ✅ curliest | ❌ more curly ❌ most curly | |
messy | ✅ messier ✅ messiest | ❌ more messy ❌ most messy | |
curly | ✅ curlier ✅ curliest | ❌ more curly ❌ most curly | |
cloudy | ✅ cloudier ✅ cloudiest | ❌ more cloudy ❌ most cloudy | |
shady | ✅ shadier ✅ shadiest | ❌ more shady ❌ most shady | |
snowy | ✅ snowier ✅ snowiest | ❌ more snowy ❌ most snowy | most snowy is almost never used |
salty | ✅ saltier ✅ saltiest | ❌ more salty ❌ most salty |
Other adjectives
The table below illustrates some common adjectives that belong to other categories of two-syllable adjectives that can have comparatives and superlatives with -er or -est.
Adjective stem ends in -er
Stem-er comparative
-est superlativemore comparative
most superlativeclever
✅ cleverer
✅ cleverest
✅ more clever
✅ most clever
eager
✅ eagerer
✅ eagerest
✅ more eager
✅ most eager
proper
✅ properer
✅ properest
✅ more proper
✅ most proper
Adjective stem ends in [consonant] + -le
Stem-er comparative
-est superlativemore comparative
most superlativeNotesable
✅ abler
✅ ablest
❌ more able
❌ most able
Even though abler/ablest are technically correct, they are less common
little
✅ littler
✅ littlest
❌ more little
❌ most little
noble
✅ nobler
✅ noblest
✅ more noble
✅ most noble
humble
✅ humbler
✅ humblest
✅ more humble
✅ most humble
gentle
✅ gentler
✅ gentlest
✅ more gentle
✅ most gentle
simple
✅ simpler
✅ simplest
✅ more simple
✅ most simple
purple
✅ purpler
✅ purplest
✅ more purple
✅ most purple
Adjective stem ends in -ow
Stem-er comparative
-est superlativemore comparative
most superlativeNotesnarrow
✅ narrower
✅ narrowest
❌ more narrow
❌ most narrow
yellow
✅ yellower
✅ yellowest
✅ more yellow
✅ most yellow
Yellowestis more common than most yellow
hollow
✅ hollower
✅ hollowest
❌ more hollow
❌ most hollow
Even though more/most hollow are not officially correct, they are quite common
shallow
✅ shallower
✅ shallowest
❌ more shallow
❌ most shallow
Adjective stem ends in -el
Stem-er comparative
-est superlativemore comparative
most superlativeNotescruel
✅ crueler
✅ crueler
✅ more cruel
✅ most cruel
novel
❌ noveler
❌ novelest
✅ more novel
✅ most novel
level
✅ leveler
✅ levelest
❌ more level
❌ most level
leveler/ levelest are spelled leveller / levellest in British English
Adjective stem ends in -me (with stress on the first syllable)
Note: not all adjectives in this group have an -er/-est form!
Stem-er comparative
-est superlativemore comparative
most superlativehandsome
✅ handsomer
✅ handsomer
✅ more handsome
✅ most handsome
awesome
✅ awesomer
✅ awesomest
✅ more awesome
✅ most awesome
extreme
✅ extremer
✅ extremest
✅ more extreme
✅ most extreme
welcome
❌ welcomer
❌ welcomest
✅ more welcome
✅ most welcome
Adjective stem ends in -te
Stem-er comparative
-est superlativemore comparative
most superlativepolite
✅ politer
✅ politest
✅ more polite
✅ most polite
remote
✅ remoter
✅ remotest
✅ more remote
✅ most remote
Adjective stem ends in -id
Stem-er comparative
-est superlativemore comparative
most superlativeNotesstupid
✅ stupider
✅ stupider
✅ more stupid
✅ most stupid
humid
✅ humider
✅ humidest
✅ more humid
✅ most humid
Dictionaries do not agree about whether the -er/-est versions exist, but they are very uncommon
stupid
❌ stupider
❌ stupider
✅ more stupid
✅ most stupid
Other common adjectives with -er/-est forms
Stem-er comparative
-est superlativemore comparative
most superlativeNotesstale
✅ stupider
✅ stupider
❌ more stale
❌ most stale
pleasant
✅ pleasanter
✅ pleasantest
✅ more pleasant
✅ most pleasant
common
✅ commoner
✅ commonest
✅ more common
✅ most common
The -er/-est forms are mostly used when common means “lower-class”
quiet
✅ quieter
✅ quietest
✅ more quiet
✅ most quiet