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Prepositions after adjectives

Intelligent in, of, with, for or about?

Intelligent about and intelligent in are the most natural combinations for knowledge and ability.

Quick answer

Which prepositions work with intelligent?

Use intelligent about for knowledge of a topic and intelligent in for skill within an area. Other combinations are more limited or belong to different structures.

She is highly intelligent about finance.
He is intelligent in strategic planning.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
intelligent about + topic

Knowledgeable about a subject

About introduces the topic understood well.

They are intelligent about environmental policy.
2
intelligent in + area

Skilled within a field

In introduces the field or activity.

She is intelligent in business decisions.
3
intelligent with + resources

Using something wisely

With can describe skilful use of resources or tools.

The company is intelligent with its data.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
intelligent about
He is intelligent about technology.
well informed on a topic
intelligent in
She is intelligent in financial matters.
skilled in a field
intelligent with
They are intelligent with money.
using something wisely
intelligent for
She is too intelligent for that mistake.
different structure expressing expectation
intelligent of
It was intelligent of him to wait.
separate evaluative structure, not topic complement

Common mistakes

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

Confusing of with about

Of describes a person's action, not a topic of knowledge.

✕ She is intelligent of economics. ✓ She is intelligent about economics.

Using for as a topic marker

For does not normally introduce a subject area after intelligent.

✕ He is intelligent for science. ✓ He is intelligent in science.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She is intelligent ___ international law.
2. He is intelligent ___ engineering design.
3. They are intelligent ___ their spending.

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Frequently asked questions

Can intelligent be followed by about?

Yes. It means knowledgeable about a topic.

What does intelligent of mean?

It appears in structures like It was intelligent of her to refuse.

Is intelligent for correct?

It can be correct in expressions about expectations, but not usually for topic areas.

ideal-for-in-as-at, from "identical to" or "identical with"? identifiable by, as, with, in or to? "idle for" or "idle in"? ignorant of, about, to, in or on? "illegal in" or "illegal for"? illustrative of, in, rather or for? ill with, in, for, at or of? "immune to" or "immune from"? "impatient with" or "impatient for"? "imperative for" or "imperative to"? impervious to, from or in?

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