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Preposition after adjective

Hazardous to or hazardous for?

Hazardous is most commonly followed by to when naming the person, animal, or thing at risk. Hazardous for is sometimes used when discussing suitability or consequences, but it is less common.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows hazardous?

Use hazardous to to describe danger to someone or something: hazardous to human health. Hazardous for appears in some contexts about consequences or suitability, but hazardous to is the standard pattern after the adjective.

hazardous to human health
The fumes are hazardous to workers.
These chemicals may be hazardous for children if swallowed.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
hazardous to + person/thing

Showing who or what is at risk

Use hazardous to for the standard meaning of dangerous to someone or something.

Smoking is hazardous to your health.
The road conditions are hazardous to drivers at night.
2
hazardous for + activity/situation

Describing possible negative consequences

Hazardous for can appear when referring to a situation, activity, or group affected by danger, although hazardous to is often more natural.

The icy surface is hazardous for cycling.
This substance may be hazardous for young children.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
hazardous to
Lead exposure is hazardous to infants.
Standard pattern meaning dangerous to someone or something.
hazardous for
The wet floor was hazardous for runners.
Used in some contexts to describe danger connected with an activity or situation.
dangerous to
The chemical is dangerous to marine life.
A close synonym often used in the same structure.

Common mistakes

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

Using an unnatural preposition

Hazardous usually takes to when naming the affected person or thing.

✕ The gas is hazardous for human health. ✓ The gas is hazardous to human health.

Confusing hazardous with a place expression

In phrases about location, the preposition may belong to the place phrase, not to hazardous.

✓ The materials are hazardous to workers in the factory.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The smoke is hazardous ___ pets.
2. The steep trail may be hazardous ___ inexperienced hikers.
3. This waste is hazardous ___ the environment.

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Frequently asked questions

Is hazardous to more common than hazardous for?

Yes. Hazardous to is the standard and most widely used pattern.

Can I say hazardous for people?

Yes, but hazardous to people is usually more natural in standard English.

What nouns often follow hazardous to?

Common examples include health, humans, workers, animals, and the environment.

halfway-through-between-up-down, to "handmade by" or "handmade in"? "hands-on with" or "hands-on in"? "handy for" or "handy in"? "happy with", "happy about" or "happy for"? hard for, on, at, of or in? harmful to, for, in, by or of? "harmless from" or "harmless to"? harsh on, in, for, with or to? "hateful to", "hateful towards" or "hateful of"? "head-to-head with" or "head-to-head in"? healthy for, in, with, at or by?

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