Adjectives and Adverbs: Comparative and Superlative Forms – Complete Lists

Adjectives and adverbs have a close relationship. Both are modifiers: 1) adjectives modify nouns, and 2) adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. This close relationship is why we can simply add an –ly to so many adjectives in order to create adverbs. And it’s for this reason that we cover comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs at the same time.

Two Methods of Creating the Comparative and Superlative Forms: 1) Add Suffix Method, and 2) Add Adverb Method

The BASE FORM of an adjective and adverb is also called  the POSITIVE FORM. From this base form, we create the comparative and superlative forms. We have two ways of creating these forms:

1.  Add Suffix Method: Add the suffix –er  or –est to the end of the adjective or adverb.

2.  Add Adverb Method: Place one of these adverbs immediately in front of the adjective or adverb: more, less, most, least.

Comparative Examples: Add –er, more, or less.

1.  Add Suffix –er: e.g., braver, longer, scarier.

2.  Add Adverb more, less: e.g., more outrageous, more ambitious, less powerful.

Superlative Examples: Add –est, most, or least.

1.  Add Suffix –est:  e.g., fastest, tallest, softest.

2.  Add Adverb most, least: e.g., most affordable, least desirable.

Although many adjectives use the Suffix Method, many more use the Adverb Method. In contrast, VERY FEW adverbs use the Suffix Method; NEARLY ALL adverbs use the Adverb Method.

Note: Adverbs are the only words that can modify adjectives and other adverbs; hence, more, less, most, and least are all adverbs.

Gradable

Worth mentioning here, many adverbs and adjectives are Gradable. Gradable is quite similar to the Adverb Method of creating comparatives and superlatives. The difference is that gradable deals with matters of degree; however, gradable is similar in that it involves placing an appropriate adverb in front of an adjective or adverb.

Here is a short list of adverbs that we use to grade: very, so, too, extremely, highly, really, mildly, moderately, outrageously, truly etc.

• Graded Adjective Examples:   extremely kind, highly effective, very generous.

• Graded Adverb Examples:       very calmly, extremely fast, too slowly.

 

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The –er  and –est Adverbs

Only a few adverbs use the Suffix Method. In fact, we can list the majority of them right here. (* irregular)

1) badly, worse, worst *	8) fast, faster, fastest	15) much, more, most *
2) bright (ly), brighter, brightest	9) hard, harder, hardest	16) near, nearer, neatest
3) close (ly), closer, closest	10) high, higher, highest	17) quick (ly), quicker, quickest
4) deep, deeper, deepest	11) late, later, latest	18) slow (ly), slower, slowest
5) early, earlier, earliest	12) little, less, least *	19) some, more, most *
6) far, farther, farthest *	13) loudly, louder, loudest	20) soon, sooner, soonest
7) far, further, furthest *	14) low, lower, lowest	21) tight (ly), tighter, tightest
		22) well, better, best *

A few notes on –er and –est adverbs: :

•  ALL of the –er and –est adverbs are also –er and –est adjectives. They are spelled exactly the same. The same is true with many of the base words.

•  Some of these adverbs can be used with or without the –ly at the end; hence the (ly) parentheses found at the end of a few words in the list.

•  With many of these adverbs, the –er suffix seems to be used more than the –est suffix.

•  Some of these may work better or be more formal with the Adverb Method e.g., more quickly.

REMEMBER THIS: We use more, less, most, and least at least 99% of the time with comparative and superlative adverbs. This Suffix Method is rare with adverbs.

The –er  and –est Adjectives

Please see the complete list of nearly 500 –er  and –est adjectives found below.

Counting Syllables: How to Correctly Use the Suffix Method and the Adverb Method

As mentioned, we often change adjectives into adverbs by adding the suffix –ly. (Naturally, we must also apply any required spelling-change rules.)

happy ⇒ happily	wise ⇒ wisely	normal ⇒ normally
fluent ⇒ fluently	nice ⇒ nicely	fond ⇒ fondly

As you can see, by adding –ly we add a new syllable to each of the adjectives. In effect, one-syllable adjectives become two-syllable adverbs, and two-syllable adjectives become three-syllable adverbs.

This is important to note because the number of syllables largely determines whether we use the Suffix Method or the Adverb Method. Here is a chart that outlines the general rules. I say general rules because I see plenty of authoritative writers breaking these so-called rules for literary effect

 

One-Syllable Adjectives: Use Suffix		Two-Syllable Adverbs: Use Adverbs ***
wiser than	the wisest	more wisely than	the most wisely
Two-Syllable Adjectives that End in -y: Use Suffix **		Three-Syllable Adverbs: Use Adverbs
angrier than	the angriest	more angrily than	the most angrily
Two or More Syllable Adjectives: Use Adverbs		Three or More Syllable Adverbs: Use Adverbs
the more frequent	the most frequent	more frequently than	the most frequently
** According to various dictionaries or authoritative usage, the following words may break this rule (by accepting –ed and –est) or be Author’s Choice: able, bitter, clever, eerie, evil, feeble, foolhardy, gentle, handsome, humble, little, mellow, narrow, nimble, noble, pleasant, polite, quiet, remote, rotten, secure, serene, severe, shallow, sincere, subtle, sulky, unhappy, unlikely, unlucky, unruly.
*** Please see the short list of adverbs that use the suffix method (–er and –est).

 

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List of Nearly 500 –er  and –est Adjectives

From a master list of about 4,600 words that function as adjectives, I found that only about 600 accept the –er  and –est suffix. I’ve included only about 500 of these 600 words in the list below, illustrating the fact that just because you can add an –er  and –est to the end of an adjective doesn’t mean that it will be a word that a person would ever use. Even out of the 500 that remain, some are of little use.

REMEMBER THIS: A much larger percentage of those 4,600 adjectives can have the adverbs more, less, most, and least placed in front of them in order to create comparatives and superlatives.

 

 

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495 Comparative (-er) and Superlative (-est) Adjectives

	Base / Positive	Comparative	Superlative
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 129. 130. 131. 132. 133. 134. 135. 136. 137. 138. 139. 140. 141. 142. 143. 144. 145. 146. 147. 148. 149. 150. 151. 152. 153. 154. 155. 156. 157. 158. 159. 160. 161. 162. 163. 164. 165. 166. 167. 168. 169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 176. 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189. 190. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 196. 197. 198. 199. 200. 201. 202.- 203. 204. 205. 206. 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 215. 216. 217. 218. 219. 220. 221. 222. 223. 224. 225. 226. 227. 228. 229. 230. 231. 232. 233. 234. 235. 236. 237. 238. 239. 240. 241. 242. 243. 244. 245. 246. 247. 248. 249. 250. 251. 252. 253. 254. 255. 256. 257. 258. 259. 260. 261. 262. 263. 264. 265. 266. 267. 268. 269. 270. 271. 272. 273. 274. 275. 276. 277. 278. 279. 280. 281. 282. 283. 284. 285. 286. 287. 288. 289. 290. 291. 292. 293. 294. 295. 296. 297. 298. 299. 300. 301. 302. 303. 304. 305. 306. 307. 308. 309. 310. 311. 312. 313. 314. 315. 316. 317. 318. 319. 320. 321. 322. 323. 324. 325. 326. 327. 328. 329. 330. 331. 332. 333. 334. 335. 336. 337. 338. 339. 340. 341. 342. 343. 344. 345. 346. 347. 348. 349. 350. 351. 352. 353. 354. 355. 356. 357. 358. 359. 360. 361. 362. 363. 364. 365. 366. 367. 368. 369. 370. 371. 372. 373. 374. 375. 376. 377. 378. 379. 380. 381. 382. 383. 384. 385. 386. 387. 388. 389. 390. 391. 392. 393. 394. 395. 396. 397. 398. 399. 400. 401. 402. 403. 404. 405. 406. 407. 408. 409. 410. 411. 412. 413. 414. 415. 416. 417. 418. 419. 420. 421. 422. 423. 424. 425. 426. 427. 428. 429. 430. 431. 432. 433. 434. 435. 436.- 437. 438. 439. 440. 441. 442. 443. 444. 445. 446. 447. 448. 449. 450. 451. 452. 453. 454. 455. 456. 457. 458. 459. 460. 461. 462. 463. 464. 465. 466. 467. 468. 469. 470. 471. 472. 473. 474. 475. 476. 477. 478. 479. 480. 481. 482. 483. 484. 485. 486. 487. 488. 489. 490. 491. 492. 493. 494. 495.	able = angry bad *+ bald batty beady big bitter = black bland blank bleak blond bloody blue blunt blurry bold bossy bouncy brainy brash brassy brave brawny breezy brief bright + brisk broad brown bubbly bulky bumpy burly bushy busy calm chatty cheap cheeky cheery chilly choice choppy chubby chunky clammy classy clean clear clever = close + cloudy clumsy coarse cold cool corny cozy crabby crafty cranky crazy creaky creamy creepy crisp crispy crude cruel crumbly crunchy crusty cuddly curly cute daffy dainty damp dandy dark deadly dear deep + dense dingy dirty dizzy dreamy dreary dressy droopy drowsy dry dull dusty early + easy edgy eerie = empty evil faint fair false fancy far *+ far *+ fast + faulty feeble = few fierce fiery filmy filthy fine firm flabby flaky flashy flat flimsy floppy flowery fluffy foamy foggy fond foolhardy = frail frank freaky free fresh friendly frilly frisky frosty frothy fruity frumpy full funny furry fussy fuzzy gabby gaudy gaunt gawky gentle = ghastly giddy glassy gloomy glossy good *+ goofy grainy grand grave greasy great greedy green grimy gritty groggy gross grouchy grubby gruff grumpy guilty gusty gutsy hairy handsome = handy happy hard + hardy harsh hasty haughty hazy healthy hearty heavy hefty high + hoarse homely humble = hungry husky icky icy itchy itty-bitty jazzy jerky jolly juicy kind kindly kingly knobby knotty lacy large late + lazy lean lengthy light likely little = little *+= lively lonely long loose loud + lousy lovely low + lowly lucky lumpy mad many *+ mean meek mellow = merry messy mighty mild misty moist moldy moody muddy muggy murky mushy narrow = naughty near + neat needy new nice nifty nimble = noble = noisy nosy numb nutty obscure odd oily old ornery pale paltry perky petty pink plain pleasant = plucky plump plush polite = poor portly pretty prickly prim prissy prompt proud puffy puny pure pushy quaint queasy queenly quick + quiet = quirky rainy rare rash raspy ratty raw red remote = rich ripe risky ritzy roomy rosy rotten = rough round rude rusty sad safe saintly salty sandy sane sappy sassy saucy scaly scanty scarce scary scraggly scrappy scratchy scrawny scruffy scummy secure = seedy seemly serene = severe = shabby shady shaggy shaky shallow = sharp shifty shiny shoddy short showy shrewd shrill shy sick sickly silky silly simple sincere = sketchy skimpy skinny sleek sleepy slick slight slim slimy slippery sloppy slow + sly small smart smelly smoggy smooth snappy sneaky snooty snotty snug soft soggy some *+ sore sorry sour sparse speedy spicy spiffy spiky spooky spry square squiggly stale stark stately staunch steady steep stern sticky stiff still stingy stodgy stormy straggly straight strange strict strong stubby stuffy sturdy subtle = sulky = sunny sure surly swanky sweaty sweet swift tacky tall tame tangy tardy tart tasty taut teensy teeny teeny-tiny terse testy thick thin thirsty thorny thrifty tidy tight + timely tiny toothy tough trashy trendy tricky trim true trusty twitchy ugly unhappy = unlikely = unlucky = unruly = vague vain vile wacky warm wary watery weak wealthy weary weedy weird wet white wicked wide wiggly wild windy wise wispy witty wobbly woozy wordy worldly worthy young yummy zany zesty	abler angrier worse balder battier beadier bigger bitterer blacker blander blanker bleaker blonder bloodier bluer blunter blurrier bolder bossier bouncier brainier brasher brassier braver brawnier breezier briefer brighter brisker broader browner bubblier bulkier bumpier burlier bushier busier calmer chattier cheaper cheekier cheerier chillier choicer choppier chubbier chunkier clammier classier cleaner clearer cleverer closer cloudier clumsier coarser colder cooler cornier cozier crabbier craftier crankier crazier creakier creamier creepier crisper crispier cruder crueler crumblier crunchier crustier cuddlier curlier cuter daffier daintier damper dandier darker deadlier dearer deeper denser dingier dirtier dizzier dreamier drearier dressier droopier drowsier drier duller dustier earlier easier edgier eerier emptier eviler fainter fairer falser fancier farther further faster faultier feebler fewer fiercer fierier filmier filthier finer firmer flabbier flakier flashier flatter flimsier floppier flowerier fluffier foamier foggier fonder foolhardier frailer franker freakier freer fresher friendlier frillier friskier frostier frothier fruitier frumpier fuller funnier furrier fussier fuzzier gabbier gaudier gaunter gawkier gentler ghastlier giddier glassier gloomier glossier better goofier grainier grander graver greasier greater greedier greener grimier grittier groggier grosser grouchier grubbier gruffer grumpier guiltier gustier gutsier hairier handsomer handier happier harder hardier harsher hastier haughtier hazier healthier heartier heavier heftier higher hoarser homelier humbler hungrier huskier ickier icier itchier itty-bittier jazzier jerkier jollier juicier kinder kindlier kinglier knobbier knottier lacier larger later lazier leaner lengthier lighter likelier littler less livelier lonelier longer looser louder lousier lovelier lower lowlier luckier lumpier madder more meaner meeker mellower merrier messier mightier milder mistier moister moldier moodier muddier muggier murkier mushier narrower naughtier nearer neater needier newer nicer niftier nimbler nobler noisier nosier number nuttier obscurer odder oilier older ornerier paler paltrier perkier pettier pinker plainer pleasanter pluckier plumper plusher politer poorer portlier prettier pricklier primmer prissier prompter prouder puffier punier purer pushier quainter queasier queenlier quicker quieter quirkier rainier rarer rasher raspier rattier rawer redder remoter richer riper riskier ritzier roomier rosier rottener rougher rounder ruder rustier sadder safer saintlier saltier sandier saner sappier sassier saucier scalier scantier scarcer scarier scragglier scrappier scratchier scrawnier scruffier scummier securer seedier seemlier serener severer shabbier shadier shaggier shakier shallower sharper shiftier shinier shoddier shorter showier shrewder shriller shier sicker sicklier silkier sillier simpler sincerer sketchier skimpier skinnier sleeker sleepier slicker slighter slimmer slimier slipperier sloppier slower slier smaller smarter smellier smoggier smoother snappier sneakier snootier snottier snugger softer soggier more sorer sorrier sourer sparser speedier spicier spiffier spikier spookier sprier squarer squigglier staler starker statelier stauncher steadier steeper sterner stickier stiffer stiller stingier stodgier stormier stragglier straighter stranger stricter stronger stubbier stuffier sturdier subtler sulkier sunnier surer surlier swankier sweatier sweeter swifter tackier taller tamer tangier tardier tarter tastier tauter teensier teenier teeny-tinier terser testier thicker thinner thirstier thornier thriftier tidier tighter timelier tinier toothier tougher trashier trendier trickier trimmer truer trustier twitchier uglier unhappier unlikelier unluckier unrulier vaguer vainer viler wackier warmer warier waterier weaker wealthier wearier weedier weirder wetter whiter wickeder wider wigglier wilder windier wiser wispier wittier wobblier woozier wordier worldlier worthier younger yummier zanier zestier	ablest angriest worst baldest battiest beadiest biggest bitterest blackest blandest blankest bleakest blondest bloodiest bluest bluntest blurriest boldest bossiest bounciest brainiest brashest brassiest bravest brawniest breeziest briefest brightest briskest broadest brownest bubbliest bulkiest bumpiest burliest bushiest busiest calmest chattiest cheapest cheekiest cheeriest chilliest choicest choppiest chubbiest chunkiest clammiest classiest cleanest clearest cleverest closest cloudiest clumsiest coarsest coldest coolest corniest coziest crabbiest craftiest crankiest craziest creakiest creamiest creepiest crispest crispiest crudest cruelest crumbliest crunchiest crustiest cuddliest curliest cutest daffiest daintiest dampest dandiest darkest deadliest dearest deepest densest dingiest dirtiest dizziest dreamiest dreariest dressiest droopiest drowsiest driest dullest dustiest earliest easiest edgiest eeriest emptiest evilest faintest fairest falsest fanciest farthest furthest fastest faultiest feeblest fewest fiercest fieriest filmiest filthiest finest firmest flabbiest flakiest flashiest flattest flimsiest floppiest floweriest fluffiest foamiest foggiest fondest foolhardiest frailest frankest freakiest freest freshest friendliest frilliest friskiest frostiest frothiest fruitiest frumpiest fullest funniest furriest fussiest fuzziest gabbiest gaudiest gauntest gawkiest gentlest ghastliest giddiest glassiest gloomiest glossiest best goofiest grainiest grandest gravest greasiest greatest greediest greenest grimiest grittiest groggiest grossest grouchiest grubbiest gruffest grumpiest guiltiest gustiest gutsiest hairiest handsomest handiest happiest hardest hardiest harshest hastiest haughtiest haziest healthiest heartiest heaviest heftiest highest hoarsest homeliest humblest hungriest huskiest ickiest iciest itchiest itty-bittiest jazziest jerkiest jolliest juiciest kindest kindliest kingliest knobbiest knottiest laciest largest latest laziest leanest lengthiest lightest likeliest littlest least liveliest loneliest longest loosest loudest lousiest loveliest lowest lowliest luckiest lumpiest maddest most meanest meekest mellowest merriest messiest mightiest mildest mistiest moistest moldiest moodiest muddiest muggiest murkiest mushiest narrowest naughtiest nearest neatest neediest newest nicest niftiest nimblest noblest noisiest nosiest numbest nuttiest obscurest oddest oiliest oldest orneriest palest paltriest perkiest pettiest pinkest plainest pleasantest pluckiest plumpest plushest politest poorest portliest prettiest prickliest primmest prissiest promptest proudest puffiest puniest purest pushiest quaintest queasiest queenliest quickest quietest quirkiest rainiest rarest rashest raspiest rattiest rawest reddest remotest richest ripest riskiest ritziest roomiest rosiest rottenest roughest roundest rudest rustiest saddest safest saintliest saltiest sandiest sanest sappiest sassiest sauciest scaliest scantiest scarcest scariest scraggliest scrappiest scratchiest scrawniest scruffiest scummiest securest seediest seemliest serenest severest shabbiest shadiest shaggiest shakiest shallowest sharpest shiftiest shiniest shoddiest shortest showiest shrewdest shrillest shiest sickest sickliest silkiest silliest simplest sincerest sketchiest skimpiest skinniest sleekest sleepiest slickest slightest slimmest slimiest slipperiest sloppiest slowest sliest smallest smartest smelliest smoggiest smoothest snappiest sneakiest snootiest snottiest snuggest softest soggiest most sorest sorriest sourest sparsest speediest spiciest spiffiest spikiest spookiest spriest squarest squiggliest stalest starkest stateliest staunchest steadiest steepest sternest stickiest stiffest stillest stingiest stodgiest stormiest straggliest straightest strangest strictest strongest stubbiest stuffiest sturdiest subtlest sulkiest sunniest surest surliest swankiest sweatiest sweetest swiftest tackiest tallest tamest tangiest tardiest tartest tastiest tautest teensiest teeniest teeny-tiniest tersest testiest thickest thinnest thirstiest thorniest thriftiest tidiest tightest timeliest tiniest toothiest toughest trashiest trendiest trickiest trimmest truest trustiest twitchiest ugliest unhappiest unlikeliest unluckiest unruliest vaguest vainest vilest wackiest warmest wariest wateriest weakest wealthiest weariest weediest weirdest wettest whitest wickedest widest wiggliest wildest windiest wisest wispiest wittiest wobbliest wooziest wordiest worldliest worthiest youngest yummiest zaniest zestiest

495 Comparative (-er) and Superlative (-est) Adjectives