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Preposition after adjective

Deaf to or deaf in?

Deaf to is the standard pattern for ignoring or not hearing something. Deaf in is uncommon and usually refers to hearing loss in a particular ear or range.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with deaf?

Use deaf to for sounds, warnings, criticism, or emotional unresponsiveness. Use deaf in only in specific medical or descriptive contexts such as deaf in one ear.

She was deaf to our complaints.
He is deaf in his left ear.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
deaf to + sound/message

Not hearing or ignoring something

This is the normal pattern for literal and figurative meanings.

The manager remained deaf to criticism.
2
deaf to + feelings/needs

Emotionally unresponsive

Use deaf to for a lack of sympathy or awareness.

They seemed deaf to public concern.
3
deaf in + ear

Hearing loss in a body part

This pattern appears mainly in medical or descriptive contexts.

She is partially deaf in one ear.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
deaf to
He was deaf to their advice.
not listening or not responsive
deaf in
She is deaf in her right ear.
unable to hear with a specific ear
deaf at
The phrase deaf at is not standard for this meaning.
nonstandard with deaf

Common mistakes

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

Using deaf in for opinions

Use deaf to when talking about ignoring ideas or criticism.

✕ He was deaf in my warnings. ✓ He was deaf to my warnings.

Confusing body-part meaning

Deaf in normally refers to hearing loss in an ear.

✓ She is deaf in one ear.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The committee stayed ___ public criticism.
2. He is partially ___ his left ear.
3. Which phrase is standard for ignoring advice?

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Frequently asked questions

Can deaf to be figurative?

Yes. It often means ignoring advice, criticism, or feelings.

Is deaf in common?

It is limited to medical or physical descriptions such as deaf in one ear.

Can I say deaf at something?

No. Deaf at is not a normal English pattern with this adjective.

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