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Prepositions after adjectives

Susceptible and its prepositions

Susceptible is normally followed by to. Susceptible of exists in formal English with a different meaning. Susceptible for is not standard.

Quick answer

Standard combinations with susceptible

Use susceptible to for being easily affected by something. In formal contexts, susceptible of can mean capable of or open to a particular interpretation.

Children are susceptible to infections.
The material is susceptible to heat damage.
The phrase is susceptible of several interpretations.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
susceptible to + influence or condition

Easily affected by something

Use susceptible to for physical, emotional, or social influence.

Plants are susceptible to frost.
Teenagers can be susceptible to peer pressure.
2
susceptible of + interpretation

Capable of a meaning or treatment

Susceptible of is formal and means capable of or allowing something.

The statement is susceptible of different readings.
The data is susceptible of verification.
3
not susceptible to + prevention

Resistance or immunity

Negative forms are common when discussing resistance to disease or influence.

This metal is not susceptible to corrosion.
Some species are less susceptible to climate change.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
susceptible to
He is susceptible to stress.
easily affected or influenced
susceptible of
The policy is susceptible of improvement.
capable of receiving or allowing something
susceptible for
Susceptible for criticism is not standard English.
for is not normally used after susceptible
susceptible to infection
Older adults are susceptible to infection.
likely to be affected by a condition

Common mistakes

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

Using for after susceptible

For is not an idiomatic complement after susceptible.

✕ She is susceptible for anxiety. ✓ She is susceptible to anxiety.

Confusing susceptible of and susceptible to

Susceptible to means easily affected. Susceptible of means capable of in formal English.

✕ The child is susceptible of colds. ✓ The child is susceptible to colds.

Using susceptible of in everyday contexts

Susceptible of is formal and less common in ordinary speech.

✕ He is susceptible of pressure. ✓ He is susceptible to pressure.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The crop is susceptible ___ disease.
2. The argument is susceptible ___ several interpretations.
3. Which phrase is nonstandard?

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Frequently asked questions

Is susceptible to the standard form?

Yes. It is the normal and most widely used pattern.

What does susceptible of mean?

In formal English, it means capable of or open to a certain interpretation or treatment.

Can I use susceptible for?

No. Susceptible for is generally considered nonstandard.

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"?

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