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Prepositions after verbs

Drip with or drip from?

'Drip with' describes being covered in a liquid or substance. 'Drip from' identifies the source something falls from.

Quick answer

Drip with vs. drip from

Use 'drip with' when something is covered or overflowing with liquid, sweat, paint, or another substance. Use 'drip from' to show where the drops come from.

His jacket was dripping with rainwater.
Water dripped from the ceiling.
The brush was dripping with paint.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
drip with + liquid/substance

Describing something covered or full of liquid

Use 'with' for sweat, water, paint, oil, and similar substances.

The athlete was dripping with sweat.
The walls were dripping with moisture.
2
drip from + source

Showing where drops fall from

Use 'from' to identify the object or place the liquid comes from.

Rainwater dripped from the roof.
Ink dripped from the pen tip.
3
drip from + body part/object onto surface

Describing movement from one place to another

A longer structure can show both the source and destination of the drops.

Blood dripped from his hand onto the floor.
Water dripped from the pipe into a bucket.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
drip with
Her hair was dripping with seawater.
Describes being covered or saturated with a substance.
drip from
Water dripped from the leaves after the storm.
Identifies the source of the dripping liquid.
drip with someone
The phrase 'drip with someone' is not a standard combination.
Use 'drip with' for substances, not companions.
drip from something
Mud dripped from his boots.
A common way to show where the substance falls from.

Common mistakes

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

Using 'with' for the source

Use 'from' when naming where the liquid comes from.

✕ Water dripped with the ceiling. ✓ Water dripped from the ceiling.

Using 'from' for saturation

Use 'with' when something is covered or soaked.

✕ His clothes were dripping from sweat. ✓ His clothes were dripping with sweat.

Forgetting the substance after 'with'

'Drip with' normally needs a liquid or substance.

✕ The towel was dripping with. ✓ The towel was dripping with water.

Confusing active and descriptive meanings

'Drip from' often describes movement, while 'dripping with' often describes condition or appearance.

✓ Paint dripped from the brush, and the brush was dripping with paint.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The runner was dripping ___ sweat after the race.
2. Water dripped ___ the broken pipe all night.
3. The branches were dripping ___ rainwater.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 'drip with' and 'drip from'?

'Drip with' describes saturation or coverage, while 'drip from' identifies the source of falling drops.

Can I say 'dripping from sweat'?

In standard English, 'dripping with sweat' is the natural choice when describing someone covered in sweat.

Is 'drip from' always physical?

Usually yes. It commonly describes liquid physically falling from a source.

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