Degrees of Comparison

Degrees of comparison are the forms we use to show how one person, thing, or idea measures against another. In English, many adjectives and some adverbs have three levels: the positive, comparative, and superlative. For example, "tall" becomes "taller" when comparing two people, and "the tallest" when identifying one person as the highest in a group. Likewise, "carefully" can become "more carefully" and then "most carefully" to show increasing degree. These patterns help us express whether a quality is equal, greater, or greatest, and they often change depending on the word's length and structure.

154 entries in this category

Adjectives ending in -e

21
ableablerablest

"She is the abler of the two candidates."

bravebraverbravest

"He proved to be the bravest in the rescue."

closecloserclosest

"The closer station is easier to reach."

cutecutercutest

"That puppy is the cutest one in the litter."

densedenserdensest

"This forest is denser than the one near town."

finefinerfinest

"Her finer work appears in the later paintings."

gravegravergravest

"The second warning was graver than the first."

largelargerlargest

"This room is larger than the kitchen."

liveliverlivest

"This fish is livelier in warmer water."

lonelonerlonest

"He felt loner than ever after the move."

mildmildermildest

"Today is milder than yesterday."

nicenicernicest

"This seat is nicer than the one by the door."

purepurerpurest

"Her water is purer after filtering."

rarerarerrarest

"That coin is rarer than the others."

sinceresincerersincerest

"Her sincerer apology helped calm the room."

strangestrangerstrangest

"That was the strangest sound I have heard."

suresurersurest

"She is surer of her answer now."

tametamertamest

"The horse is tamer than it was last year."

truetruertruest

"His truest friends stood by him."

widewiderwidest

"This road is wider than the old lane."

wisewiserwisest

"The wiser choice is to wait until morning."

Adjectives ending in -y

25
happyhappierhappiest

"She is happier today than yesterday."

angryangrierangriest

"He was angrier than I expected."

busybusierbusiest

"Monday is the busiest day of the week."

easyeasiereasiest

"This test is easier than the last one."

funnyfunnierfunniest

"That was the funniest story in the book."

dirtydirtierdirtiest

"The garage is dirtier than the kitchen."

prettyprettierprettiest

"This is the prettiest dress in the shop."

luckyluckierluckiest

"She felt luckier than ever before."

noisynoisiernoisiest

"The street is noisier at night."

heavyheavierheaviest

"That box is heavier than this one."

hungryhungrierhungriest

"I am hungrier now than I was an hour ago."

greedygreediergreediest

"His dog is greedier than mine."

smellysmelliersmelliest

"The old socks are smellier than the shoes."

sunnysunniersunniest

"Today is sunnier than yesterday."

sleepysleepiersleepiest

"After lunch, I feel sleepier than before."

thirstythirstierthirstiest

"The runners were thirstier after the race."

crazycraziercraziest

"That is the craziest idea I have heard."

shyshyershyest

"She is shyer in large groups."

tinytiniertiniest

"This is the tiniest apartment on the street."

windywindierwindiest

"It is windier near the coast."

riskyriskierriskiest

"Climbing that wall is riskier than taking the stairs."

juicyjuicierjuiciest

"This orange is juicier than that one."

messymessiermessiest

"Her desk is messier than mine."

sillysilliersilliest

"That was the silliest answer in the class."

wealthywealthierwealthiest

"He is wealthier than his brother."

Adverbs

17
slowlymore slowlymost slowly

"He spoke most slowly when explaining the plan."

badlyworseworst

"He performed worse than expected."

hardharderhardest

"She works harder than anyone in the office."

oftenmore oftenmost often

"They visit us more often in summer."

rarelymore rarelymost rarely

"She appears most rarely at public events."

soonsoonersoonest

"I will call you sooner if I get the update."

longlongerlongest

"They stayed longer than planned."

quicklymore quicklymost quickly

"Please answer more quickly next time."

carefullymore carefullymost carefully

"She listened most carefully to the instructions."

simplymore simplymost simply

"The teacher explained the rule more simply than before."

quietlymore quietlymost quietly

"The baby slept most quietly in the crib."

loudlymore loudlymost loudly

"The crowd cheered more loudly after the goal."

closelymore closelymost closely

"We watched the experiment more closely this time."

deeplymore deeplymost deeply

"She was most deeply affected by the story."

brightlymore brightlymost brightly

"The moon shone more brightly than the streetlights."

warmlymore warmlymost warmly

"They welcomed the guests most warmly."

gracefullymore gracefullymost gracefully

"The dancer moved more gracefully than before."

Common Everyday Adjectives

3
coldcoldercoldest

"Today is colder than yesterday."

clearclearerclearest

"Her explanation was clearer than mine."

kindkinderkindest

"She is kinder than anyone I know."

Describing People & Places

4
newnewernewest

"This is the newest building in the area."

crowdedmore crowdedmost crowded

"The station is more crowded in the evening."

peacefulmore peacefulmost peaceful

"The village is more peaceful than the city."

ancientmore ancientmost ancient

"This temple is more ancient than the nearby museum."

Irregular Comparisons

12
goodbetterbest

"This plan is better than the last one."

badworseworst

"That was the worst result we could have expected."

farfartherfarthest

"She lives farther from the station than I do."

littlelessleast

"He has less time than he did yesterday."

muchmoremost

"She has more patience than anyone I know."

manymoremost

"They invited more guests than we expected."

latelaterlatest

"This is the latest version of the report."

nearnearernearest

"The nearest cafe is just around the corner."

wellbetterbest

"She sings better than her sister."

illworseworst

"He felt worse after the long trip."

evilworseworst

"That was the worst act of cruelty I have seen."

foreformerforemost

"He is one of the foremost experts in the field."

Long Adjectives (more/most)

19
beautifulmore beautifulmost beautiful

"This garden is more beautiful than the last one."

importantmore importantmost important

"Her health is more important than the meeting."

powerfulmore powerfulmost powerful

"That engine is more powerful than ours."

comfortablemore comfortablemost comfortable

"This chair is more comfortable than that one."

dangerousmore dangerousmost dangerous

"Driving at night is more dangerous on this road."

expensivemore expensivemost expensive

"This phone is more expensive than mine."

intelligentmore intelligentmost intelligent

"He is more intelligent than his older brother."

responsiblemore responsiblemost responsible

"She is more responsible than her classmates."

successfulmore successfulmost successful

"Their second project was more successful."

necessarymore necessarymost necessary

"Water is more necessary than many other things."

patientmore patientmost patient

"You need to be more patient with children."

carelessmore carelessmost careless

"His mistake was more careless than usual."

poeticmore poeticmost poetic

"Her writing is more poetic than his."

creativemore creativemost creative

"The new design is more creative than the old one."

athleticmore athleticmost athletic

"My sister is more athletic than I am."

friendlymore friendlymost friendly

"The new neighbor is more friendly than the last one."

likelymore likelymost likely

"It is more likely to rain this afternoon."

recentmore recentmost recent

"The more recent report gives better data."

popularmore popularmost popular

"This song is more popular than the others."

Regular Adjectives

22
bigbiggerbiggest

"This box is bigger than that one."

smallsmallersmallest

"Her room is the smallest in the house."

fastfasterfastest

"That car is faster than mine."

slowslowerslowest

"The turtle is the slowest animal here."

talltallertallest

"She is taller than her brother."

shortshortershortest

"This route is shorter than the other one."

oldolderoldest

"My grandfather is the oldest person in the family."

youngyoungeryoungest

"He is younger than his sister."

cleancleanercleanest

"This kitchen is cleaner than the last one."

safesafersafest

"Walking is safer than crossing the road here."

cheapcheapercheapest

"This shirt is cheaper than the blue one."

richricherrichest

"She is the richest member of the club."

strongstrongerstrongest

"This rope is stronger than the old one."

weakweakerweakest

"The weaker team lost the match."

narrownarrowernarrowest

"This street is narrower than the main road."

simplesimplersimplest

"That answer is simpler than I expected."

carefulmore carefulmost careful

"You should be more careful on the stairs."

modernmore modernmost modern

"This is the most modern building in the city."

politemore politemost polite

"She was more polite than her cousin."

famousmore famousmost famous

"He is the most famous actor in the country."

deliciousmore deliciousmost delicious

"This cake is more delicious than the pie."

interestingmore interestingmost interesting

"That book is more interesting than the movie."

Short Adjectives (double consonant)

23
hothotterhottest

"Today is hotter than yesterday."

thinthinnerthinnest

"This pencil is thinner than that one."

sadsaddersaddest

"She felt sadder after the news."

fatfatterfattest

"The cat is fatter than it was last year."

wetwetterwettest

"Your shoes are wetter than mine."

redredderreddest

"This apple is redder than the others."

fitfitterfittest

"He is fitter now than he was before."

madmaddermaddest

"She seemed madder than ever."

oddodderoddest

"That was the oddest result of all."

slimslimmerslimmest

"This model is slimmer than the old one."

drabdrabberdrabbest

"The room looked drabber in the gray light."

dimdimmerdimmest

"The lamp is dimmer than the ceiling light."

robustmore robustmost robust

"This plan is more robust than the first."

sternsternersternest

"Her teacher became sterner after the warning."

trimtrimmertrimmest

"The hedge looks trimmer after the rain."

grimgrimmergrimmest

"The forecast grew grimmer as the day went on."

palepalerpalest

"Her face looked paler than usual."

deepdeeperdeepest

"This well is deeper than the other one."

flatflatterflattest

"The road is flatter near the river."

gladgladdergladdest

"I was gladder to hear the good news."

grandgrandergrandest

"The palace is grander than the museum."

slackslackerslackest

"The rope was slacker after the knot slipped."

slyslyerslyest

"That was his slyest trick yet."

Two-syllable Adjectives

8
gentlegentlergentlest

"He gave the child the gentlest advice."

clevercleverercleverest

"She is the cleverest student in the class."

commoncommonercommonest

"That bird is commoner in the north."

quietquieterquietest

"This room is quieter than the one next door."

earlyearlierearliest

"We took the earliest train."

tastytastiertastiest

"This soup is tastier than the one we had yesterday."

cruelcruellercruellest

"That was the cruellest remark he could make."

nastynastiernastiest

"That was the nastiest weather of the week."

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