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Prepositions after verbs

bond with or bond to?

Bond with is the usual pattern for forming a relationship or emotional connection. Bond to is also used, especially for attachment between people, animals, or objects.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with bond?

Use bond with for developing a relationship or feeling close to someone. Use bond to for attachment or connection, often emphasizing a link to a person, group, or object.

The children quickly bonded with their new teacher.
The puppy bonded to its owner after a few days.
Workers bonded with each other during training.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
bond with + person/group

Forming a relationship with someone

Bond with describes building trust, friendship, or emotional closeness.

She bonded with her teammates.
Parents often bond with their babies through play.
2
bond to + person/object

Becoming attached or connected

Bond to emphasizes attachment or a strong link, especially emotional or physical.

The rescued animal bonded to its new family.
The material bonds to metal surfaces easily.
3
bond over + shared interest

Connecting through a shared activity or topic

Bond over introduces the thing that creates connection.

They bonded over old films.
The team bonded over late-night projects.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
bond with
I bonded with my classmates during the trip.
develop a close relationship with someone
bond to
The child bonded to her caregiver quickly.
become strongly attached to someone or something
bond over
We bonded over our love of music.
connect because of a shared interest
bond against
The workers bonded against unfair rules.
join together in opposition to something

Common mistakes

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

Using bond with for physical attachment

For physical or strong attachment, bond to is often more natural.

✕ The glue bonded with the plastic. ✓ The glue bonded to the plastic.

Confusing bond over and bond with

Bond over introduces the shared topic or activity.

✕ They bonded with football. ✓ They bonded over football.

Missing the object after bond with

Bond with normally needs a person or group as the object.

✕ She bonded with quickly. ✓ She bonded with her colleagues quickly.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The new students quickly ___ each other.
2. The baby soon ___ its adoptive parents.
3. We ___ our shared interest in photography.

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Frequently asked questions

Is bond with more common than bond to?

Bond with is more common for relationships and social connection.

Can bond to describe objects?

Yes. Bond to is often used for physical attachment, especially in technical contexts.

Can I say bond over something?

Yes. Bond over means to connect because of a shared experience or interest.

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