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Prepositions after verbs

stun with by and at

Stun is usually followed by by in passive structures. At is normally used with adjectives such as stunned.

Quick answer

Do we say stun by or stun at?

Use be stunned by to show the cause of surprise or shock. Stun at is not a standard verb pattern. However, stunned at is common because at follows the adjective stunned, not the verb stun.

We were stunned by the news.
She was stunned by his reaction.
He was stunned at the result for a moment.
They stunned the audience with their performance.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
be stunned by + cause

Cause of shock or surprise

Use by after the adjective or passive verb form to name what caused the reaction.

I was stunned by the announcement yesterday.
2
stun + object

Direct effect on someone

The active verb stun usually takes a direct object without a preposition.

The decision stunned investors worldwide.
3
be stunned at + situation

Adjective pattern with at

At is common after the adjective stunned when reacting to a fact or situation.

She was stunned at the final score.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
stunned by
They were stunned by the sudden change.
shocked because of something
stunned at
He was stunned at the price.
surprised or shocked at a fact or situation; adjective use
stun by
The phrase stun by is not normally used as an active verb pattern.
nonstandard except in passive structures such as be stunned by

Common mistakes

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

Using stun at as an active verb pattern

At does not normally follow the active verb stun.

✕ The news stunned at everyone. ✓ The news stunned everyone.

Confusing stunned and stun

At is common after the adjective stunned, not after the base verb.

✕ The result stun at me. ✓ I was stunned at the result.

Adding an unnecessary preposition after stun

The active verb usually takes a direct object.

✕ Her speech stunned by the crowd. ✓ Her speech stunned the crowd.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We were stunned ___ the announcement.
2. The victory stunned ___ fans across the country.
3. She was stunned ___ the final decision.

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Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

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Frequently asked questions

Is stun at correct?

Not usually as a verb pattern. English normally uses be stunned at or be stunned by.

What is the difference between stunned by and stunned at?

Both can express shock or surprise. By emphasizes the cause, while at often focuses on a fact or situation.

Can stun be used without a preposition?

Yes. The active verb commonly takes a direct object, as in The news stunned everyone.

sack, by, sack, for, sack, from "sacrifice for" or "sacrifice to"? sail from, in, for, to or through? "salvage from" or "salvage in"? sanction by, for, in, with or according? satisfy with, by, in, about or after? "saturate with" or "saturate in"? save by, for, from, on or in? "say in", "say about" or "say to"? "scan for", "scan in" or "scan through"? "scar by" or "scar on"? scatter in, across, around, throughout or on?

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