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Preposition after adjective

Dangerous for vs dangerous to

Dangerous for usually refers to risk or harm affecting someone or something. Dangerous to often describes behaviour or attitudes that may cause harm.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with dangerous?

Use dangerous for when talking about who or what is at risk: dangerous for children. Use dangerous to when describing a harmful action, attitude, or effect toward someone or something: dangerous to public safety.

Smoking is dangerous for children.
The chemical is dangerous to humans if inhaled.
Driving this fast is dangerous for everyone on the road.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
dangerous for + person/thing

Who or what is at risk

Use dangerous for to show that something may harm a person, group, or thing.

This medicine is dangerous for pregnant women.
The river can be dangerous for swimmers after heavy rain.
2
dangerous to + person/thing

Harm directed toward someone or something

Dangerous to is common when describing a threat or harmful effect toward a target.

The fumes are dangerous to workers.
That policy could be dangerous to democracy.
3
dangerous to + infinitive

Actions that involve risk

Dangerous can be followed by an infinitive to describe a risky action.

It is dangerous to drive in this storm.
It was dangerous to climb without ropes.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
dangerous for
This toy is dangerous for small children.
Children are the ones at risk.
dangerous to
The virus is dangerous to older adults.
The virus threatens or harms a group.
dangerous to + verb
It is dangerous to swim here.
The activity itself is risky.
dangerous for + activity
The road is dangerous for cycling.
The activity becomes unsafe in that place.

Common mistakes

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

Using dangerous for after an infinitive

Use dangerous to before a verb.

✕ It is dangerous for drive at night. ✓ It is dangerous to drive at night.

Confusing the person at risk with the source of danger

Dangerous for usually highlights who is affected.

✕ The snake is dangerous for us to touch. ✓ The snake is dangerous to humans.

Omitting the preposition

Dangerous normally needs a preposition before a noun.

✕ This chemical is dangerous children. ✓ This chemical is dangerous for children.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. This machine is dangerous ___ inexperienced users.
2. It is dangerous ___ walk alone here at night.
3. The smoke can be dangerous ___ your lungs.

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Frequently asked questions

Can dangerous to refer to people?

Yes. Dangerous to people means capable of harming them.

Can I say dangerous for doing something?

Usually use dangerous to plus a verb: dangerous to drive, dangerous to enter.

Is dangerous for always wrong with activities?

No. Dangerous for can describe an unsafe condition for an activity, such as dangerous for cycling.

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