Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after verbs

uphold by or uphold in?

Uphold is usually used without a fixed preposition. By and in often belong to passive or contextual phrases.

Quick answer

How do by and in work with uphold?

Use upheld by in passive sentences to name the person or institution supporting a decision or principle. In can introduce a place, document, or context where something is upheld.

The ruling was upheld by the court.
Free speech is upheld in the constitution.
The policy was upheld by senior management.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
upheld by + person or institution

Naming who supports or confirms something

In passive structures, by introduces the authority or agent.

The verdict was upheld by the appeals court.
The decision was upheld by the committee.
2
upheld in + document or system

Showing the context where something is maintained

In refers to laws, constitutions, agreements, or systems.

These rights are upheld in international law.
The principle is upheld in company policy.
3
uphold + noun

Using uphold without a preposition

The verb often takes a direct object with no following preposition.

Courts must uphold the law
They uphold traditional values

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
upheld by
The ban was upheld by the judge.
Passive pattern naming the authority or agent.
upheld in
The right is upheld in the constitution.
Context phrase showing where the principle exists or is protected.
uphold by
Incorrect: They uphold by the rules.
Not a standard active-voice pattern.
uphold in
The principle is upheld in many countries.
Possible when in introduces a place or context.

Common mistakes

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

Using by in active voice incorrectly

By normally follows passive forms such as was upheld by.

✕ They uphold by the policy ✓ They uphold the policy

Forgetting the direct object

Uphold usually takes an object such as law, ruling, or principle.

✕ The court upheld ✓ The court upheld the ruling

Confusing context phrases with verb patterns

In often introduces a location or document rather than a required preposition.

✓ The principle is upheld in the agreement

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The decision was upheld ___ the Supreme Court.
2. The principle is upheld ___ national law.
3. Which sentence is standard?

Check your sentence in context

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

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Does uphold need a preposition?

Usually no. The verb commonly takes a direct object, such as uphold a law.

Why is upheld by common?

It appears in passive sentences to identify the person or institution supporting a ruling or principle.

Can upheld in be correct?

Yes, when in introduces a place, document, or system where something is protected or maintained.

uncover, by, uncover, in "underline by" or "underline in"? undermine by, in, at, from or due? underpin by, for, with, of or other? underscore by, in, with, between or during? understand by, in, about, as or from? "undertake by" or "undertake in"? undo by, in, against, during or From? "unearth from" or "unearth by"? unfold in, before, on, at or for? "unite in" or "unite with"? "unleash on" or "unleash by"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account