Preposition after adjective

Incomprehensible to, in, for, without or as?

The standard pattern is incomprehensible to someone. Other prepositions may appear in separate contexts, but they are not usual fixed combinations after incomprehensible.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct after incomprehensible?

Use incomprehensible to when saying that someone cannot understand something: The instructions were incomprehensible to me. Other prepositions such as in, for, without, and as usually belong to other parts of the sentence rather than directly following the adjective.

The manual was incomprehensible to new users.
His explanation seemed incomprehensible to the audience.
The legal terms are incomprehensible to most readers.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
incomprehensible to + person

Saying who cannot understand something

Use to before the person or group that finds something impossible to understand.

The lecture was incomprehensible to first-year students.
Her handwriting is incomprehensible to me.
2
completely incomprehensible to + person

Emphasising total lack of understanding

Adverbs such as completely and almost often appear before incomprehensible.

The instructions were completely incomprehensible to visitors.
The symbolism remained almost incomprehensible to outsiders.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
incomprehensible to
The diagram was incomprehensible to the trainees.
Standard pattern showing who cannot understand something.
incomprehensible in
The speech was incomprehensible in parts.
In parts is an adjunct meaning partly unclear, not a fixed adjective-preposition pattern.
incomprehensible for
The instructions were incomprehensible for beginners.
Some speakers use this, but incomprehensible to beginners is more standard.
incomprehensible without
The article is incomprehensible without the introduction.
Without introduces a condition needed for understanding, not a fixed complement.
incomprehensible as
The policy seemed incomprehensible as written.
As written describes the form or condition of the text, not a regular pattern after incomprehensible.

Common mistakes

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

Using for instead of to

To is the standard preposition after incomprehensible.

✕ The book was incomprehensible for me. ✓ The book was incomprehensible to me.

Assuming in is always linked to incomprehensible

In often introduces extra information such as in parts or in places.

✕ The article is incomprehensible in readers. ✓ The article is incomprehensible to readers.

Using as for the person who cannot understand

Use to before the affected person or group.

✕ The explanation was incomprehensible as students. ✓ The explanation was incomprehensible to students.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The technical report was incomprehensible ___ most employees.
2. The novel was incomprehensible ___ places.
3. The chart is incomprehensible ___ the notes below it.

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Frequently asked questions

Is incomprehensible for wrong?

It appears occasionally, but incomprehensible to is the standard and more natural choice.

Can incomprehensible be used without a preposition?

Yes. You can simply say The text was incomprehensible.

What does incomprehensible without mean?

It means something cannot be understood unless another thing is available, as in incomprehensible without context.

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