Sign In Get Started
Preposition after adjective

Stripped of or stripped down?

Stripped of means deprived of something. Stripped down means reduced to basic parts or simplified.

Quick answer

Key difference

Use stripped of when something has been removed from a person or thing. Use stripped down when something is simplified, reduced, or taken apart to its essentials.

He was stripped of his title after the investigation.
The car was stripped down for repairs.
The report was stripped of unnecessary details.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
stripped of + possession/right

Removing something from someone

Use of for rights, power, titles, or features that are taken away.

The athlete was stripped of her medal.
The building was stripped of decoration.
2
stripped down

Reducing something to basics

Use stripped down for simplified versions or objects taken apart.

The software was stripped down for beginners.
The engine was stripped down in the workshop.
3
stripped down to + noun

Reducing to essential elements

This pattern highlights the final simplified state.

The presentation was stripped down to the essentials.
The menu was stripped down to five dishes.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
stripped of
She was stripped of authority.
Something has been removed or taken away.
stripped down
The bike was stripped down for cleaning.
Reduced to basic parts or simplified.
stripped down to
The article was stripped down to key facts.
Reduced to a smaller essential form.

Common mistakes

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

Using stripped down for loss of rights

Use stripped of when something is taken away.

✕ He was stripped down his licence. ✓ He was stripped of his licence.

Forgetting the preposition after stripped of

The pattern requires of before the removed item.

✕ The room was stripped furniture. ✓ The room was stripped of furniture.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The official was stripped ___ his position.
2. The machine was stripped ___ before transport.
3. The article was stripped down ___ the key points.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Can stripped down describe writing or design?

Yes. It often means simplified, minimal, or reduced to essentials.

Is stripped of always negative?

Usually, because it often refers to losing rights, possessions, or qualities.

Can both forms be used with objects?

Yes. A car can be stripped down for repairs, while a room can be stripped of furniture.

sacred-to-in-by-of, for "sad for" or "sad about"? "safe for", "safe from" or "safe in"? sanguine about, in, of, on or for? "satisfactory to" or "satisfactory for"? satisfied with, of, by, in or on? "satisfying for" or "satisfying to"? scarce in, for, at, on or of? scared of, to, about, for or by? "scary for" or "scary to"? "scathing about", "scathing in" or "scathing of"? "sceptical about" or "sceptical of"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account