Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after words

Complicit in, with or by?

Complicit is usually followed by in to describe involvement in wrongdoing. Other prepositions may appear in different sentence structures but are not the standard pattern.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows complicit?

The standard expression is complicit in something, especially a crime, deception, or unethical act. Complicit with is uncommon and usually refers to acting together with someone. Complicit by is not standard.

She was complicit in the fraud.
Officials became complicit in the cover-up.
He was complicit with several corrupt partners.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
complicit in + wrongdoing

Describing involvement in illegal or unethical acts

Use in for participation or responsibility in something wrong.

The company was complicit in tax evasion.
Several staff members were complicit in the scheme.
2
complicit with + person/group

Referring to cooperation with others

With sometimes appears when the focus is on collaboration with people, although in is more common overall.

He became complicit with criminal networks.
They were complicit with corrupt officials.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
complicit in
She was complicit in the robbery.
Standard and most common pattern for involvement in wrongdoing.
complicit with
The businessman was complicit with local gangs.
Less common; focuses on cooperation with other people.
complicit by
They were accused of being complicit by remaining silent.
By does not normally follow complicit directly; by may introduce a separate explanation.
involved in
He was involved in the operation.
A broader and more neutral alternative.

Common mistakes

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

Using by directly after complicit

Complicit is not normally followed by by.

✕ She was complicit by the crime. ✓ She was complicit in the crime.

Using complicit for innocent involvement

Complicit usually implies wrongdoing or moral responsibility.

✕ He was complicit in the school project. ✓ He was involved in the school project.

Confusing with and in

Use in for the activity or wrongdoing itself.

✕ They were complicit with the fraud. ✓ They were complicit in the fraud.

Using complicit as a verb

Complicit is an adjective, not a verb.

✕ They complicit in the scandal. ✓ They were complicit in the scandal.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The officials were complicit ___ the cover-up.
2. He was complicit ___ several criminal groups.
3. Which sentence is standard English?

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 complicit in correct?

Yes. It is the standard way to describe involvement in wrongdoing.

Can I say complicit with?

Sometimes. It can describe cooperation with people, but complicit in is more common and more general.

Is complicit by grammatical?

Not as a normal fixed combination. By may appear later in the sentence for another reason, but not directly after complicit.

calculate, by, calculate, in, calculate, from "call for" or "call on"? "campaign for" or "campaign against"? cancel by, due, at, in or for? capitulate to, in, like, by or after? captivate by, for, with, from or in? "capture by" or "capture in"? "care about" or "care for"? carry with, by, in, to or into? carve into, out, in, on or with? cast in, into, for, by or on? "catch in", "catch by" or "catch on"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

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

Create a free account