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Preposition after adjective

Dear to, in, for, of or as?

Dear to is the main pattern for emotional value or importance. Other prepositions appear only in specific expressions.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows dear?

Use dear to for someone or something valued deeply. Dear for can appear with prices or qualities in business contexts. Dear in, dear of, and dear as are not standard adjective patterns.

This tradition is dear to our family.
Fresh berries are dear for this season.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
dear to + person

Emotionally important

This is the standard and most common pattern.

Music is dear to her.
2
dear to + heart

Strong personal attachment

Often used in emotional or formal language.

The project remains dear to my heart.
3
dear for + reason

Expensive considering something

This use appears mainly in commercial or old-fashioned contexts.

The hotel was dear for such a small room.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
dear to
The village is dear to him.
personally valued or loved
dear for
Imported cheese is dear for everyday use.
expensive in relation to something
dear in
Dear in is not a standard pattern with this adjective.
nonstandard
dear of
Dear of is not idiomatic English.
nonstandard
dear as
Dear as is not used as a normal adjective pattern.
nonstandard

Common mistakes

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

Using dear in for emotional attachment

Use dear to for feelings of affection or importance.

✕ The book is dear in me. ✓ The book is dear to me.

Using dear as after the adjective

Dear as is not an idiomatic adjective pattern.

✓ She is very dear to us.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. This song is very ___ me.
2. The restaurant was ___ its location.
3. Which construction is standard?

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Frequently asked questions

What does dear to me mean?

It means emotionally important or greatly valued.

Is dear for common?

It is less common and often sounds formal or old-fashioned.

Can I use dear of or dear as?

Not as normal adjective-preposition combinations in current English.

daily, for, daily, with, daily, in damaging to, for, of, in or as? damn about, near, for, to or as? "dangerous for" or "dangerous to"? "dark in", "dark for" or "dark of"? "daunting for" or "daunting to"? dead in, on, by, at or of? deadly to, in, for, of or with? "deaf to" or "deaf in"? deceased in, to, for, at or on? "decent in" or "decent for"? "decisive in" or "decisive for"?

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