Check out our posts on English comparative adjectives and English superlative adjectives to learn more!
Study Resource: Two-syllable adjectives that can take ‘-er’ / ‘-est’ comparatives and superlatives
Most two- syllableNo definition set for syllableLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. adjectivesNo definition set for adjectivesLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. have comparativeNo definition set for comparativeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. and superlativeNo definition set for superlativeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. 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: |
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✅ → 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