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Prepositions after adjectives

Convicted of, for, by or in?

The standard pattern is convicted of + crime. Other prepositions may appear for different meanings or sentence structures.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with convicted?

Use convicted of to name a crime or offence: convicted of fraud. Convicted for is sometimes heard informally but is not standard in careful English. By and in usually introduce extra information such as the court, judge, or place, not the crime itself.

She was convicted of fraud last year.
He was convicted by a military court.
The group was convicted in federal court.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
convicted of + crime

Naming the offence

Use of after convicted to state the crime or wrongdoing.

They were convicted of theft.
She was convicted of tax evasion.
2
convicted by + court or judge

Showing who made the conviction

Use by to identify the authority that convicted someone.

He was convicted by the jury.
The suspect was convicted by a local court.
3
convicted in + court or place

Showing where the conviction happened

Use in for the court, city, or legal setting where the case took place.

She was convicted in New York.
They were convicted in federal court.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
convicted of
He was convicted of robbery.
Standard way to name the crime.
convicted for
He was convicted for robbery.
Usually considered nonstandard in careful English; use convicted of.
convicted by
She was convicted by a military tribunal.
Shows the authority that gave the conviction.
convicted in
They were convicted in state court.
Shows the place or legal setting of the conviction.

Common mistakes

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

Using convicted for to name a crime

Careful English normally uses of after convicted.

✕ She was convicted for fraud. ✓ She was convicted of fraud.

Confusing by with the crime

By introduces the authority, not the offence.

✕ He was convicted by theft. ✓ He was convicted of theft.

Using in instead of of for offences

In usually refers to a place or court.

✕ They were convicted in bribery. ✓ They were convicted of bribery.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She was convicted ___ embezzlement.
2. The defendant was convicted ___ a federal judge.
3. They were convicted ___ state court.

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Frequently asked questions

Is convicted for correct?

In careful modern English, convicted of is the standard form for naming a crime.

Can I say convicted by a judge?

Yes. By introduces the person or institution responsible for the conviction.

When do we use convicted in?

Use in for the court, city, or legal context where the conviction happened.

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