Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after adjectives

Superior with prepositions

Superior is normally followed by to. Other prepositions usually introduce separate ideas such as area, topic, or control.

Quick answer

The standard pattern is superior to

Use superior to when comparing quality, rank, or ability. In, for, about, and over may appear in other sentence structures but are not the standard comparison pattern after superior.

This model is superior to the older version.
She is superior in technical knowledge.
The product is superior for long-distance travel.
He felt superior over his rivals.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
superior to + comparison

Comparing quality or rank

To is the standard preposition after superior.

Their service is superior to ours.
This fabric is superior to cotton.
2
superior in + area

Specifying an area of strength

In introduces the field or quality being discussed.

The team is superior in speed and accuracy.
3
superior for + purpose

Describing usefulness

For may introduce a purpose, though better for is often more natural.

The material is superior for insulation.
4
superior about + topic

Describing attitude

About can follow superior when discussing someone's attitude, not as a fixed adjective pattern.

She sounded superior about her achievements.
5
superior over

Nonstandard comparison pattern

Superior over is generally not idiomatic for comparisons. Use superior to instead.

superior to competing brands

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
superior to
This camera is superior to the previous model.
standard comparative pattern
superior in
They are superior in design.
stronger in a specific area
superior for
This tool is superior for precision work.
better suited for a purpose
superior about
He was oddly superior about the issue.
describes attitude toward a topic
superior over
Nonstandard in modern English comparison use.
use superior to instead

Common mistakes

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

Using superior over for comparison

Use superior to in standard English.

✕ This phone is superior over mine. ✓ This phone is superior to mine.

Using than after superior

Superior takes to, not than.

✕ The new system is superior than the old one. ✓ The new system is superior to the old one.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. This solution is superior ___ the previous one.
2. The company is superior ___ customer service.
3. He sounded superior ___ his coworkers.

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

Is superior over correct?

It is generally considered nonstandard in comparison use. Superior to is the accepted form.

Can superior be followed by in?

Yes. In introduces a specific quality or area.

Why do people say superior to instead of superior than?

Superior is traditionally followed by to in English comparisons.

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