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Prepositions after adjectives

Jealous: which preposition follows it?

Jealous is most commonly followed by of to describe envy or protectiveness. Other prepositions can appear in more specific contexts.

Quick answer

Main patterns

Use jealous of for envy or protectiveness. Jealous about is also used for topics or situations someone feels protective or sensitive about. Jealous for is rare and formal. By and in are usually adjuncts, not standard complements after jealous.

She was jealous of her colleague's success.
He is jealous of his privacy.
Parents can be jealous about their children's safety.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
jealous of + person/thing

Who or what causes envy?

Use jealous of for envy, resentment, or protectiveness.

I'm jealous of your vacation plans.
She became jealous of his close friendship with Emma.
2
jealous about + topic

What subject makes someone protective or sensitive?

About is used for issues someone cares about strongly or feels sensitive about.

He is jealous about his reputation.
They are jealous about their creative work.
3
jealous for + person

Who receives protective concern?

Jealous for is formal and less common. It means protective or concerned on someone's behalf.

She felt jealous for her sister's future.
He grew jealous for the nation's independence.
4
jealous by + cause

What caused the feeling?

By is not a standard complement after jealous. It may appear separately in passive-style or descriptive contexts.

He was consumed by feelings that made him jealous by nature.
The character is portrayed as jealous by instinct.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
jealous of
She is jealous of her brother.
Standard pattern for envy or possessiveness.
jealous about
He is jealous about his personal life.
Sensitive or protective regarding a topic.
jealous for
They were jealous for their community's rights.
Formal and protective rather than envious.
jealous by
He acted jealous by nature.
By introduces manner or cause, not a normal complement.
jealous in
She became jealous in stressful situations.
In introduces context or situation.

Common mistakes

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

Using by as the main preposition

Jealous is not normally followed directly by by.

✕ She was jealous by her friend. ✓ She was jealous of her friend.

Confusing jealous of and envious of

Both are possible, but jealous often suggests possessiveness as well as envy.

✕ He is jealous for your promotion. ✓ He is jealous of your promotion.

Using in for the object of envy

In usually introduces context, not the thing causing jealousy.

✕ They were jealous in his success. ✓ They were jealous of his success.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She was jealous ___ her colleague's promotion.
2. He is very jealous ___ his privacy.
3. The leader was jealous ___ the country's independence.

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Frequently asked questions

Is jealous of the standard expression?

Yes. It is the main pattern for envy and possessiveness.

Can jealous about be correct?

Yes. It is used for topics or situations someone feels protective or sensitive about.

Is jealous by natural English?

Usually no. By is not a normal complement after jealous and often sounds unnatural.

jam-packed-with-into-for-from, in "joint in" or "joint with"? "junior in" or "junior at"? just for, outside, in, like or of? "justifiable in" or "justifiable for"?

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