Fun: Comparative and superlative

[MikeN1]

Why isn’t the comparative and superlative of fun “funner” and “funnest”? Too close to “funnier/funniest” or just one of those quirks of English?

[tempogain]

I suspect fun was originally a noun, as in “have fun”, then came into usage as an adjective later on, but the comparative/superlative never caught up. I imagine there’s something written about it somewhere!

[Steve4nLanguage]

On a similar note: The comparative and superlative for ‘far’ is farther/farthest, so why isn’t it nearther and nearthest?

[BiggusDickus]

Sorry, I misunderstood the question.

[yyy]

Funner is funner than more fun.

@Wikiland

Usage notes

While funner is a regular comparative of the adjective fun , the comparative more fun is much more common. The use of fun as an adjective is itself still often seen as informal[1] or casual[2] and to be avoided in formal writing, and this would apply equally to the comparative form. Merriam-Webster gives fun as an adjective without comment, and states that funner and funnest are “sometimes” used.[3]

And funnest is the funnest fun of all!

[TroubleWithTribbles]

@Wikiland

Usage notes

While funner is a regular comparative of the adjective fun , the comparative more fun is much more common. The use of fun as an adjective is itself still often seen as informal

My dad would never use fun as an adjective. So That’s so fun always had to be That’s so much fun.