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Prepositions after verbs

How to use prepositions with “grumble”

Grumble is most commonly followed by about when talking about a complaint. Against is possible in more formal contexts about opposition. Other combinations in the query are usually not standard after grumble.

Quick answer

Common prepositions after “grumble”

Use grumble about for complaints or dissatisfaction. Grumble against can mean complain or protest against something, often formally. Grumble from, grumble after, and grumble among are not standard verb-preposition combinations.

They always grumble about the heating in winter.
Workers grumble against the new policy.
She tends to grumble about small delays.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
grumble about + problem

Complaining about something

Use about to introduce the subject of a complaint.

Passengers grumble about the long wait.
He kept grumble about the cost of repairs.
2
grumble against + policy/person

Expressing opposition

Against is less common and more formal. It suggests resistance or protest.

Some members grumble against the leadership.
Residents grumble against the proposed tax increase.
3
grumble to + person

Saying complaints to someone

Use to for the listener of the complaint.

She grumble to her colleagues every morning.
4
grumble at + situation

Reacting irritably to something

At can be used for a target that causes annoyance.

He grumble at every minor mistake.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
grumble about
They grumbled about the noise.
complain about something
grumble against
The crowd grumbled against the decision.
express opposition or resentment
grumble from
Not standard: They grumbled from the schedule.
from may introduce origin separately, not the object of grumble
grumble after
Not idiomatic: She grumbled after the meeting.
after can be a time expression, not a selected preposition
grumble among
Not standard as a verb-preposition pattern.
among may describe location or group context separately

Common mistakes

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

Using “from” for the topic of complaint

Use about, not from, for the thing being complained about.

✕ They grumbled from the food. ✓ They grumbled about the food.

Confusing time expressions with verb patterns

After can follow the whole clause as a time phrase, but not as the object marker of grumble.

✕ She grumbled after the new rules. ✓ She grumbled about the new rules.

Using “among” as the complaint marker

Among does not normally follow grumble to introduce the topic.

✕ Workers grumbled among the low wages. ✓ Workers grumbled about the low wages.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The guests grumbled ___ the slow service.
2. Some voters grumbled ___ the mayor's decision.
3. He grumbled ___ his friend all evening.

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Frequently asked questions

Is “grumble about” the most common pattern?

Yes. It is the usual way to introduce the subject of a complaint.

Can I say “grumble against”?

Yes, especially in formal or political contexts where people oppose something.

Is “grumble after” correct?

Not as a fixed verb-preposition pattern. After may only add a time meaning, such as “He grumbled after dinner.”

gain, from, gain, by "gamble on" or "gamble with"? "gasp for" or "gasp in"? "gather in" or "gather at"? "gaze at" or "gaze into"? generate by, from, in, for or at? get to, into, in, out or on? giggle at, to, about, like or with? "give to", "give in" or "give by"? glance at, through, around, over or in? glare at, from, after, before or in? glean from, by, in, at or for?

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