Hyperbole and Superlative

more splendid, most splendid

"Further" is one comparative of far. Its superlative is furthest. Traditionally, farther and farthest were used in referring to physical distance: the falls were still two or three miles farther up the path. Further and furthest were restricted to figurative or abstract senses: we decided to consider the matter further.

comparative

more polluted, most polluted

more boring and most boring

keener

wealthier, wealthiest

uglier, ugliest

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. For example, saying "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" emphasizes extreme hunger. Another instance is, "I've told you a million times," which stresses the speaker's frustration rather than indicating an actual count. Hyperbole is often used for dramatic effect or to convey strong emotions.

Either one.

new, newer, newest

long, longer, longest

great, greater, greatest

little, littler, littlest

old, older, oldest

big, bigger, biggest

high, higher, highest

small, smaller, smallest

large, larger, largest

early, earlier earliest

young, younger, youngest

few, fewer, fewest

able, abler, ablest

clean, cleaner, cleanest

drab, drabber, drabbest

fancy, fancier, fanciest

handsome, handsomer, handsomest

plain, plainer, plainest

quaint, quainter, quaintest

ugly, uglier, ugliest

red, redder, reddest

green, greener, greenest

blue, bluer, bluest

gray, grayer, grayest

black, blacker, blackest

white, whiter, whitest

easy, easier, easiest

odd, odder, oddest

rich, richer, richest

shy, shyer, shyest

brave, braver, bravest

calm, calmer, calmest

happy, happier, happiest

jolly, jollier, jolliest

kind, kinder, kindest

lively, livelier, liveliest

nice, nicer, nicest

proud, prouder, proudest

silly, sillier, silliest

angry, angrier, angriest

clumsy, clumsier, clumsiest

lazy, lazier, laziest

broad, broader, broadest

deep, deeper, deepest

flat, flatter, flattest

low, lower, lowest

round, rounder, roundest

straight, straighter, straightest

steep, steeper, steepest

wide, wider, widest

most interesting

(of an adjective or adverb) expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality (e.g., bravest, most fiercely).

most happily

Ever since the Norman Invasion gave certain English speakers an inferiority complex, schoolmarms declare it "better" to use the French comparative form with some adjectives, preferring the form more useless. The native form uselesser may be considered substandard by some editors, but it is not wrong.

quieter, quietest

littler, littlest

less, least

more gracious, most gracious

Feebler is the comparative form.

The superlative form of listless is most listless.

The comparative form is more respectful and the superlative is most respectful. In general, words of three or more syllables use more and most to form the comparative and superlative forms, because adding -er or -est as a suffix (which works well with short words) tends to result in a word that is too long and difficult to pronounce.

more rapid

most rugged

dreamier, dreamiest

more painfully, most painfully