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Prepositions after verbs

Anger by or anger at?

As a verb, anger is commonly followed by a direct object. Anger at appears in passive or adjective-like structures.

Quick answer

Which form is standard?

Use anger as a transitive verb: The comment angered him. Angered at is common in passive-style expressions. Anger by is not a standard verb-preposition combination, although by can introduce the cause in passive sentences.

The decision angered many voters.
She was angered at the accusation.
He was angered by the delay.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
anger + object

Causing someone to feel angry

Anger usually takes a direct object without a preposition.

The remarks angered the audience.
The policy angered local residents.
2
angered at + thing/person

Describing the target of anger

Use angered at in passive-style expressions to show what caused the anger.

She was angered at his tone.
They felt angered at the unfair decision.
3
angered by + cause

Naming the cause of anger

By can introduce the cause after a passive form such as was angered.

Voters were angered by rising prices.
He seemed angered by the criticism.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
anger by
The crowd was angered by the announcement.
by introduces the cause in a passive structure, not a fixed combination after anger
anger at
She was angered at his behaviour.
standard passive-style expression showing the target of anger
anger + object
The article angered readers.
standard active verb pattern without a preposition
angry at
They are angry at the delay.
common adjective pattern

Common mistakes

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

Adding at after the active verb

The active verb anger normally takes a direct object.

✕ The speech angered at the staff. ✓ The speech angered the staff.

Using anger by as an active pattern

By usually appears in passive structures.

✕ The comments angered by customers. ✓ The comments angered customers.

Confusing anger with angry

Angry is an adjective and follows be.

✕ They anger at the result. ✓ They were angry at the result.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The decision angered ___ employees.
2. She was angered ___ the accusation.
3. Residents were angered ___ the sudden tax increase.

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Frequently asked questions

Is anger at correct?

Yes, especially in passive-style forms such as angered at the remark.

Can I say anger by?

Not as a normal active combination. By is natural after passive forms like was angered by the news.

Does anger need a direct object?

Usually yes. The verb commonly appears as anger someone.

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