Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after adjectives

Win-win with different prepositions

Win-win is most often followed by for when describing benefits to people or groups. Other prepositions may appear in broader sentence structures.

Quick answer

Which preposition is used with win-win?

Use win-win for to show who benefits from a situation. Win-win in can describe a context. Win-win to, from, and on are uncommon as fixed adjective patterns.

a win-win for everyone
a win-win for both companies
win-win in business
a win-win outcome

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
win-win for + person/group

Showing who benefits

For is the standard preposition after win-win.

a win-win for customers
a win-win for both sides
2
win-win in + context

Describing an area where both sides benefit

In introduces the field or situation.

win-win in trade negotiations
win-win in education
3
win-win situation

Using win-win without a preposition

Win-win often directly modifies nouns.

a win-win situation
a win-win deal

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
win-win for
The agreement was a win-win for both teams.
Beneficial to all parties involved.
win-win in
They aim for win-win results in business.
Mutual benefit within a certain context.
win-win to
Not standard: a win-win to investors.
For is normally used instead of to.
win-win from
Not standard as a fixed pattern: a win-win from the merger.
From may introduce the source of benefit elsewhere in the sentence.
win-win on
Not standard: a win-win on customers.
On is not normally used after win-win.

Common mistakes

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

Using to instead of for

For is the normal preposition showing beneficiaries.

✕ It was a win-win to both companies. ✓ It was a win-win for both companies.

Using on after win-win

On does not naturally follow win-win.

✕ The plan is win-win on users. ✓ The plan is win-win for users.

Forgetting the noun after win-win

Win-win often works best before a noun.

✕ The arrangement was very win-win. ✓ The arrangement was a win-win situation.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The merger was a win-win ___ employees and management.
2. They discussed win-win solutions ___ international trade.
3. The contract created a win-win ___ both partners.

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 win-win for the usual phrase?

Yes. It is the standard way to show who benefits from a situation.

Can win-win be used without a preposition?

Yes. It often directly modifies nouns, as in win-win solution or win-win outcome.

Is win-win to correct?

It is generally considered nonstandard. Use win-win for instead.

warm-in-up-for-to, with wary of, about or in? weak in, on, at, for or from? wealthy in, of, by, from or with? weary of, from, in, with or about? wedded to, by, for, in or into? weekly for, in, on, with or to? weird for, to, about, in or with? "welcome to" or "welcome in"? "welcoming of" or "welcoming to"? "well-known for" or "well-known in"? well-received by, in, at, among or with?

Write with confidence in Linguix

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

Create a free account