I found myself to be none the sadder for the next accident.

[optimistic pessimist]

Dear all,

Do you use the phrase "none the sadder" as in the sentence below?

I found myself to be none the sadder for the next accident.

I have seen "none the wiser", but not "none the sadder" until recently.

Thank you!

OP

[emsr2d2]

I can't say that I've ever seen or used "none the sadder" although I can't say there's anything wrong with it.

"None the wiser" and "none the poorer" are certainly used regularly.

[BobK]

BNC has only these 4:

1 NONE THE WORSE 40
2 NONE THE WISER 26
3 NONE THE UNHAPPIER 1
4 NONE THE EASIER 1

COCA has these 6:

1 NONE THE WORSE 69
2 NONE THE WISER 38
3 NONE THE RICHER 1
4 NONE THE POORER 1
5 NONE THE EASIER 1
6 NONE THE BETTER 1

So 'none the <comparative adjective>', except with a few words, isn't widely used. But 'none the worse' and 'none the wiser' are by far the commonest.

b