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Prepositions after verbs

Inherit from or inherit by?

Use inherit from to name the person or source of inherited money, traits, or property. By is not normally used after inherit.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with inherit?

The standard pattern is inherit from someone. By may appear in legal phrases such as inherited by his daughter, but not as inherit by.

She inherited the house from her aunt.
He inherited his musical talent from his mother.
The estate was inherited by his son.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
inherit from + person

Receiving property or traits

Use from for the source of what is inherited.

I inherited these coins from my grandfather.
2
inherit + object

Using inherit without a preposition

The thing received can directly follow the verb.

She inherited a fortune at twenty-five.
3
be inherited by + person

Passive legal style

In passive sentences, by names the person who receives something.

The title was inherited by his nephew.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
inherit from
He inherited the farm from his father.
receive something from someone
inherit by
She inherited by her uncle.
nonstandard; use inherit from
inherited by
The property was inherited by two sisters.
passive structure

Common mistakes

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

Using by after active inherit

Active inherit normally uses from, not by.

✕ He inherited by his father. ✓ He inherited from his father.

Omitting the source unnecessarily

Add from when the source matters.

✓ She inherited her patience from her mother.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She inherited the necklace ___ her grandmother.
2. The estate was inherited ___ his eldest son.
3. He inherited his love of music ___ his parents.

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Frequently asked questions

Can inherit refer to personality traits?

Yes. People inherit physical features, talents, and tendencies from relatives.

Is inherit by ever correct?

Not in active voice. Use inherited by only in passive constructions.

Can inherit be used without from?

Yes, when the source is obvious or unimportant.

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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