Sign In Get Started
Preposition after adjective

Absurd to, absurd in or absurd for?

Absurd is commonly followed by to + person or by a that-clause. Absurd in and absurd for are more limited and depend on meaning.

Quick answer

Which preposition is used with absurd?

Use absurd to before a person to show a reaction or judgement. Absurd in can describe something ridiculous in a particular aspect. Absurd for often appears before a person and an infinitive.

It seems absurd to me.
The rule is absurd in practice.
It was absurd for them to refuse help.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
absurd to + person

Giving a personal judgement

Use absurd to before a person who considers something unreasonable or ridiculous.

The idea sounds absurd to most voters.
It seemed absurd to her at first.
2
absurd for + person + infinitive

Judging an action as unreasonable

Use absurd for before a person and an infinitive clause.

It is absurd for a company to ignore safety rules.
3
absurd in + respect/context

Describing the aspect that seems ridiculous

Use absurd in to specify the area or respect in which something is unreasonable.

The policy is absurd in theory and practice.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
absurd to
The proposal sounded absurd to the committee.
Standard pattern for personal judgement.
absurd in
The plan is absurd in several ways.
Describes the aspect in which something is ridiculous.
absurd for
It was absurd for him to deny the evidence.
Standard structure before a person and infinitive.
absurd that
It is absurd that prices keep rising.
Very common alternative with a clause.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using absurd to before actions

Use absurd to with a person, not directly with an action.

✕ It is absurd to ignore the warning. ✓ It is absurd to me that they ignored the warning.

Using absurd for without an infinitive

Absurd for usually introduces a person and an infinitive clause.

✕ The rule is absurd for students. ✓ It is absurd for students to follow that rule.

Confusing absurd in with location

Absurd in usually refers to an aspect or respect, not a physical place.

✕ The idea is absurd in the office. ✓ The idea is absurd in practice.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The suggestion sounded absurd ___ the audience.
2. It is absurd ___ companies to hide safety data.
3. The policy is absurd ___ practice.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Can absurd be followed by a clause?

Yes. A common pattern is it is absurd that + clause.

Is absurd to always followed by a person?

Usually yes. It identifies who thinks something is absurd.

What does absurd in mean?

It points to the respect or context in which something seems ridiculous.

abhorrent-to-in-for-of, about "ablaze with" or "ablaze in"? "able for" or "able in"? "abreast of" or "abreast with"? "absent from" or "absent in"? absolute in, for, of, to or as? abundant in, with, of, on or for? "abusive to", "abusive in" or "abusive towards"? "academic in" or "academic at"? "acceptable to" or "acceptable for"? accessible to, by, for, from or in? "accountable for" or "accountable to"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account