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Prepositions after adjectives

forgiving: which preposition to use

Forgiving is often followed by of when someone tolerates faults. It can also be followed by to when something is gentle or beneficial.

Quick answer

Common uses of forgiving

Use forgiving of mistakes or weaknesses when someone is tolerant. Use forgiving to when something is gentle or not harmful. For, in, and about usually belong to other sentence meanings rather than fixed patterns after forgiving.

She is very forgiving of small errors.
This fabric is forgiving to sensitive skin.
The editor was surprisingly forgiving of late submissions.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
forgiving of + mistake or weakness

What does someone tolerate?

Use forgiving of for faults, errors, or behaviour that someone accepts or overlooks.

Good teachers are often forgiving of beginner mistakes.
He was not forgiving of dishonesty.
2
forgiving to + person or body part

What is gentle or easy on someone?

Use forgiving to when something causes little harm or difficulty.

The software is forgiving to new users.
This soap is forgiving to dry skin.
3
forgiving in + situation

In what context is something tolerant?

In can introduce a situation or area, not a fixed complement selected by forgiving.

The grading system is forgiving in the first semester.
The game is more forgiving in practice mode.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
forgiving of
She is forgiving of honest mistakes.
Standard pattern for tolerance or willingness to excuse faults.
forgiving to
This material is forgiving to sensitive skin.
Used when something is gentle, easy, or not damaging.
forgiving for
They were forgiving for a while after the incident.
For usually introduces time or reason here, not a fixed adjective pattern.
forgiving in
The rules are forgiving in minor cases.
In introduces context or area rather than a direct complement.
forgiving about
He is forgiving about small delays.
Possible in some contexts, but about belongs to the topic being discussed rather than a fixed adjective pattern.

Common mistakes

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

Using for instead of of

Use forgiving of to talk about tolerated faults or behaviour.

✕ She is forgiving for mistakes. ✓ She is forgiving of mistakes.

Confusing to and of

To is used for something gentle or easy on someone; of is used for tolerated faults.

✕ This cream is forgiving of sensitive skin. ✓ This cream is forgiving to sensitive skin.

Treating in as the main complement

In usually adds context rather than completing the adjective.

✕ He is forgiving in my mistakes. ✓ He is forgiving of my mistakes.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The manager was forgiving ___ the team's errors.
2. These shoes are forgiving ___ tired feet.
3. The policy is more forgiving ___ exceptional cases.

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Frequently asked questions

Can forgiving be followed by of?

Yes. Forgiving of is the standard pattern for tolerating mistakes or bad behaviour.

What does forgiving to mean?

It means gentle, easy, or not harmful to a person or body part.

Is forgiving about correct?

It can appear when about introduces a topic, but forgiving of is the usual fixed pattern after the adjective.

face-to-face-with-in-at-for, to "fair to" or "fair in"? faithful to, in, of, with or for? falling of, in, out, into or off? "false in" or "false to"? famed for, as, in or throughout? familiar with, to, from or in? famous for, in, of, by or as? fanatical about, in, as, for or of? "fantastic for" or "fantastic in"? far from, in, to, for or with? fascinating to, about, in, for or as?

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