Traditional grammars define prepositions as “words that link nouns and pronouns to other words.” Simple prepositions consist of a single word. Complex prepositions consist of two or more words. A subcategory of the English preposition, postpositions follow, rather than precede, the prepositional complement. The following dictionary lists the prepositions of the English language.

A

aboard
about
above
absent
according to
across
afore
after
against
ago (postposition)
ahead of
along
alongside
amid
amidst
among
amongst
apart (postposition)
apart from
around
as
as far as
as for
as of
as opposed to
as per
as regards
as well as
aside
aside (postposition)
aside from
astride
at
at the behest of
athwart
atop
away (postposition)

B

back to
barring
because of
before
behind
behither
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
betwixen
betwixt
beyond
but
by
by means of
by virtue of

C

circa
close to
come
concerning
considering

D

despite
down
due to
during

E

except
except for
excluding

F

failing
far from
following
for
for the sake of
forby
from

G

gainst
given

H

hence (postposition)

I

in
in accordance with
in addition to
in case of
in front of
in lieu of
in order to
in place of
in point of
in spite of
in to
including
inside
inside of
instead of
into

J

K

L

left of
lest
like

M

mid
midst
minus

N

near
near to
neath
next
next to
notwithstanding
notwithstanding (postposition)

O

of
off
on
on (postposition)
on account of
on behalf of
on to
on top of
onto
opposite
out
out from
out of
outside
outside of
outwith
over
overthwart
owing to