Can anything be better than the best? What about smaller than the smallest, or funnier than the funniest? Superlative adjectives help us understand the most — or least — about a noun. Keep reading for superlatives examples with a variety of different endings and uses.
Superlative Examples With Different Endings
You probably know that an adjective (such as big or pretty) describes a noun. When you compare two nouns, you have a comparative adjective (such as big vs. bigger, prettier vs, prettier). When you compare three or more nouns, you have a comparative and a superlative adjective (big vs. bigger vs. biggest, pretty vs. prettier vs. prettiest). The superlative adjective shows the highest or lowest limit of the group; nothing can be compared to superlatives.
Superlatives That Add -est
One-syllable adjectives, such as "small," add -est to create the superlative "smallest". While most two-syllable adjectives also add -est, they can use "most" or "least" before the word instead, such as "gentlest" or "most gentle." It just depends on your preferred style.
If the adjective has a consonant + single vowel + consonant spelling, the final consonant is doubled before adding the ending. For example, "big" becomes "biggest," and "fit" becomes "fittest."
Superlative examples that add -est include:
- big - biggest
- black - blackest
- bold - boldest
- brave - bravest
- bright - brightest
- cheap - cheapest
- clean - cleanest
- clever - cleverest
- cold - coldest
- dull - dullest
- faint - faintest
- few - fewest
- gentle - gentlest
- grand - grandest
- grave - gravest
- great - greatest
- high - highest
- kind - kindest
- loud - loudest
- moist - moistest
- narrow - narrowest
- nice - nicest
- odd- oddest
- proud - proudest
- pure - purest
- quiet - quietest
- rare - rarest
- rich - richest
- ripe - ripest
- rough - roughest
- rude - rudest
- safe - safest
- shallow - shallowest
- simple - simplest
- smooth - smoothest
- strange- strangest
- strict - strictest
- true - truest
- weird - weirdest
- young - youngest
Superlatives That Change the Y to an I and Add -est
If the adjective ends in "y" you must first swap that for an "i" before adding -est. Remember, two-syllable adjectives form the superlative by adding -est or using the word "most" or "least" before the adjective. Check out a superlatives list with adjectives that end in "y."
- angry - angriest
- bloody - bloodiest
- bossy - bossiest
- busy - busiest
- chewy - chewiest
- chubby - chubbiest
- classy - classiest
- cloudy - cloudiest
- clumsy - clumsiest
- creamy - creamiest
- creepy - creepiest
- crunchy - crunchiest
- curly - curliest
- deadly - deadliest
- dirty - dirtiest
- early - earliest
- easy- easiest
- filthy - filthiest
- flaky - flakiest
- funny - funniest
- gloomy - gloomiest
- greasy - greasiest
- greedy - greediest
- healthy - healthiest
- heavy - heaviest
- hungry - hungriest
- itchy - itchiest
- juicy- juiciest
- lazy - laziest
- lonely - loneliest
- pretty - prettiest
- roomy - roomiest
- scary - scariest
- shiny - shiniest
- skinny - skinniest
- smelly - smelliest
- wealthy - wealthiest
- windy - windiest
- worthy - worthiest
Superlatives That Add Most or Least
Adjectives with three or more syllables always form the superlative by putting the word "most" or "least" in front of the adjective. These ones are easier to remember because adding -est to a three-syllable word just sounds funny!
- auspicious - most auspicious
- beautiful - most beautiful
- famous - most famous
- gullible - most gullible
- immense - most immense
- perfect - least perfect
- powerful - least powerful
- wonderful - most wonderful
- upset - least upset
Superlatives for Irregular Adjective Forms
Irregular adjectives use a different word instead of adding -er, -est or "more" to create their comparative and superlative forms. The irregular adjective is first in the examples, followed by the comparative and the superlative forms.
| Adjective | Comparative Adjective | Superlative Adjective |
| bad | worse | worst |
| far (distance) | farther | farthest |
| far (additional) | further | furthest |
| good | better | best |
| little | less | least |
| many | more | most |
| old (people) | elder | eldest |
| well | better | best |
Using Superlative Adjectives
Now that you've seen lots of examples of the superlative form of adjectives, take a look at the examples below to see how these describing words are used in a sentence. You may recognize some of these famous quotes!
- "I know it's a cliché, but the whole family is just whacked. I mean, we're all out of our minds. They're the funniest, most eccentric, bizarre people I've ever met, my siblings." - Dana Carvey
- "Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful, that's what matters to me." - Steve Jobs
- "I definitely did look up to John. We all looked up to John. He was older and he was very much the leader; he was the quickest wit and the smartest." - Paul McCartney
- "Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes." - Zig Ziglar
- "Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times." - Mark Twain
Follow the Simple Rules
Superlative adjectives mostly follow very simple rules. You’ll have to memorize a few irregular forms, but if you keep these simple rules in mind, you can add interest and dimension to your writing with superlatives. When you're ready for more, check out examples of comparative and superlative adjectives for kids. Teachers and parents might also be interested in looking over a lesson plan for comparative and superlative adjectives for ideas on how to explain and practice superlative adjectives.