- Stupider is the comparative form of the adjective stupid. Because stupid is a two-syllable word, its comparative form can be created either by adding the suffix “-er” or by using more.
- The same goes for the superlative form of stupid. It can be either the stupidest or the most stupid.
- Stupid and its related word forms are considered very rude and insulting in some situations. These terms should always be avoided in formal and professional settings.
Stupider vs. More Stupid
The form of an adjective determines how you form the comparative. If an adjective contains one syllable, you usually add the suffix -er to make the comparative form. That’s how you get “bigger” from “big” and “taller” from “tall.”
For adjectives with more than two syllables, you usually use the word “more” to create the comparative. That’s why you can say that something is “more beautiful” but not “beautifuller.”
Two-syllable adjectives mix both rules; some of them always use the suffix for the comparative form (heavier, smellier), while others seem to use “more” (more tepid, more lurid). This is one of the reasons some people think that the comparative form of stupid should be more stupid and not stupider.
But the major dictionaries would disagree; stupider is commonly cited as the correct comparative form of the adjective stupid. Stupider is grammatically correct, it is a real word, and it’s been in use for at least the last two hundred years.
Stupidest vs. Most Stupid
The same rules apply to creating superlative adjectives. The only difference is that they take the suffix -est or the determiner “most.” As with stupider, stupidest is perfectly correct and listed as standard in dictionaries.
Examples of Stupider and Stupidest
