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Preposition after verb

Inflict on or inflict by?

Inflict normally takes on or upon before the person or thing affected. Inflict by is not a standard pattern.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with inflict?

Use inflict on or inflict upon to say who suffers damage, punishment, or harm. Do not use inflict by after the verb. By may appear separately in passive clauses such as damage inflicted by the storm.

The regime inflicted severe restrictions on journalists.
The injuries were inflicted by falling debris.
The court inflicted punishment on the offender.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
inflict + harm on + person

Showing who suffers the effect

Use on or upon after inflict to introduce the affected person or group.

The policy inflicted hardship on small businesses.
The attack inflicted pain on civilians.
2
inflict + object

Using inflict with a direct object

Inflict is followed directly by words such as damage, pain, punishment, or suffering.

The storm inflicted heavy damage overnight.
The scandal inflicted lasting harm on the company.
3
inflicted by + cause

Naming the cause in passive clauses

By is natural in passive structures when naming the agent or cause, not directly after inflict as a verb pattern.

The wounds were inflicted by a sharp object.
The losses were inflicted by poor planning.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
inflict on
They inflicted severe losses on the enemy.
Standard pattern showing who experiences the harm.
inflict by
The damage was inflicted by the explosion.
By introduces the cause in a passive clause, not a complement after inflict.
inflict upon
The law inflicted burdens upon citizens.
More formal alternative to on.

Common mistakes

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

Using inflict by after the verb

Inflict does not normally take by as its complement.

✕ They inflicted by the workers severe penalties. ✓ They inflicted severe penalties on the workers.

Omitting the object after inflict

Inflict usually needs a noun such as damage, pain, or punishment.

✕ The army inflicted on the village. ✓ The army inflicted damage on the village.

Using inflict for minor inconvenience

Inflict is usually used for serious or harmful effects.

✕ She inflicted a short delay on me. ✓ She caused a short delay for me.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The company inflicted major losses ___ investors.
2. The injuries were inflicted ___ broken glass.
3. Choose the correct sentence.

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Frequently asked questions

Is inflict by ever correct?

Not as a direct pattern after the verb. By is used in passive clauses such as harm inflicted by war.

What nouns are common with inflict?

Common objects include damage, pain, punishment, suffering, injury, and harm.

Can I use inflict upon instead of inflict on?

Yes. Upon is more formal but has the same meaning in this pattern.

identify-with-by-in-as, for "ignore by" or "ignore in"? illuminate by, with, at, for or in? "illustrate by" or "illustrate in"? "imagine for", "imagine by" or "imagine in"? imbue with, in, by or onto? immigrate to, from, in, with or into? impair by, for, in, because or throughout? "impart to", "impart in" or "impart by"? "impeach by" or "impeach for"? "impinge on" or "impinge upon"? "implement in" or "implement by"?

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