much more harder

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'much more harder' is not correct in written English.
It should be written as 'much harder', as 'harder' is already an comparative form and you cannot add 'more' to it. For example: This exam was much harder than the last one.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It's much more harder, and difficult though.

WikiHow

Also, remember it's not scary to keep eye contact with someone when your talking about light topics like what you do as a hobby or where you usually shop for clothes, but it's much more harder to keep eye contact while talking about things that don't make you happy or are just plain uncomfortable like your ex boy/girlfriend or how you miss your dead pet.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Gorgeousness is much more hard work these days.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This takes much more hard work than we in the audience can probably fathom.

The New York Times

My friends think I'm much more hard-boiled than I actually am.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

So far, much more hard money has been spent on the New York Senate race than soft money.

The New York Times

But this time he took a much more hard-headed stance.

The Guardian

Soaring oil prices have given Mr. Hussein much more hard currency to play with.

The New York Times

It simply hooks around the top of your ear, creating the impression of something much more hard core.

The New York Times

"Young adults today are much more hard-working, more career-focused, and more time-deprived that we expected," he said.

The New York Times

Mr. Barkley now enjoys a similar status from his platform at TNT, though his humor is much more hard-edged.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using double comparatives like "much more harder". Use "much harder" or choose alternative expressions to convey a greater degree of difficulty.

Common error

Ensure you're not using both "more" and the '-er' suffix to indicate comparison. Stick to either "more difficult" or "harder", but not "more harder".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "much more harder" functions as an intensified comparative adjective phrase, aiming to express a higher degree of difficulty. However, it's grammatically flawed, as Ludwig AI highlights, due to the redundant use of both "more" and the '-er' suffix.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

4%

Unknown

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "much more harder" attempts to emphasize a higher degree of difficulty, it is grammatically incorrect because it employs a double comparative. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct form is "much harder". Although you might encounter it in informal contexts, it's best to use grammatically sound alternatives like "much harder" or "significantly more difficult" in formal writing. Sticking to correct grammar enhances clarity and credibility in your communication. The usage frequency is rare and tends to appear in news and media contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

much harder

Removes the redundant 'more' to correct the double comparative error, resulting in a grammatically correct phrase.

a great deal harder

Uses a different quantifier to express a similar degree of difficulty.

significantly more difficult

Replaces "harder" with "difficult" and uses "significantly" for emphasis, offering a more formal and precise alternative.

considerably tougher

Substitutes "harder" with "tougher" and "much more" with "considerably", providing a slightly more informal but equally emphatic option.

far more challenging

Uses "challenging" instead of "harder" and "far more" instead of "much more", creating a slightly more nuanced expression.

appreciably more strenuous

Replaces the original phrase with a more formal and intense description, emphasizing the effort required.

noticeably more arduous

Substitutes with stronger synonyms to emphasize the difficulty and effort involved.

substantially more taxing

Emphasizes the demanding nature of the task using more sophisticated vocabulary.

infinitely more complex

Shifts the focus to complexity rather than pure difficulty, while maintaining a similar level of challenge.

markedly more complicated

Similar to the previous one, but focusing on "complicated" aspect.

FAQs

Is "much more harder" grammatically correct?

No, "much more harder" is grammatically incorrect. It's considered a double comparative. The correct form is /s/much+harder.

What are some alternatives to "much more harder"?

Instead of "much more harder", you can use /s/much+harder, significantly more difficult, or a great deal harder, depending on the context.

Why is "much more harder" considered incorrect?

The phrase "much more harder" is incorrect because "harder" is already in the comparative form (hard + -er). Adding "more" creates a redundant comparison.

In what contexts might I encounter "much more harder", and should I use it?

While you might encounter "much more harder" in informal speech or non-edited writing, it's best to avoid it in formal writing. Use /s/much+harder for correct grammar.