Compound Preposition – Definition, Examples and List (A-Z)

Compound Preposition – Definition, Examples and List (A-Z)

Prepositions are essential parts of speech that establish a relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They often indicate the position, location, or direction of the noun or pronoun. Some examples of prepositions include “in,” “on,” “at,” “from,” “to,” and “with.” However, there are also compound prepositions, which are formed by combining two or more words to create a new preposition.

In this article, we’ll explore some compound preposition examples to help you use prepositions in a new light.

Compound Preposition Definition

A compound preposition is a preposition that is composed of two or more words that act as a single unit to convey a specific meaning. Compound prepositions are used to indicate the relationship between two or more nouns or pronouns.

Examples of compound prepositions include:

• According to
• Along with
• Because of
• In front of
• In spite of
• On behalf of
• With respect to
• In addition to
• In place of
• In view of

Compound prepositions can also be formed by combining a preposition with an adverb, as in “up until” or “down from”. The use of compound prepositions can make language more concise and efficient.

List Of Compound Prepositions (A-Z)

Here is a comprehensive list of compound prepositions:

Please note that this list is quite extensive, but there may still be other compound prepositions not included here.

Examples of Compound Prepositions in Sentences

According to

The phrase “according to” is a compound preposition that means “as stated by” or “in accordance with.” For example:

• According to the weather report, it will be hazy sunshine today.
• The book was written according to the author’s personal experiences.

In front of

The phrase “in front of” is another compound preposition that describes the position of something relative to another thing. For example:

• Park The car in front of the house.
• The children were sitting in front of the teacher during story time.

In addition to

The phrase “in addition to” is a compound preposition that means “as well as” or “besides.” For example:

• In addition to studying for her exam, she’s also working part-time.
• The hotel offers a swimming pool and gym in addition to its other amenities.

Instead of

The phrase “instead of” is a compound preposition that means “in place of” or “as an alternative to.” For example:

• I decided to stay home instead of going out with friends tonight.
• You can use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in this recipe.

Due to

The phrase “due to” is a compound preposition that means “because of” or “as a result of.” For example:

• The game was cancelled due to the weather conditions.
• The delay in the project was due to a lack of funding.

In spite of

The phrase “in spite of” is a compound preposition that means “despite” or “notwithstanding.” For example:

• In spite of the heavy rain, the concert still went on as scheduled.
• He succeeded in his business in spite of the many obstacles he faced.

Along with

The phrase “along with” is a compound preposition that means “together with” or “in addition to.” For example:

• He brought his laptop along with his textbooks to the library.
• Along with her parents, she attended the graduation ceremony.

In the middle of

The phrase “in the middle of” is a compound preposition that describes the position of something within a space or time. For example:

• The cat is sleeping in the middle of the bed.
• She arrived in the middle of the night.

On behalf of

The phrase “on behalf of” is a compound preposition that means “as a representative of” or “for the benefit of.” For example:

• The lawyer spoke on behalf of the defendant in court.
• The company made a donation on behalf of its employees to the local charity.

In case of

The phrase “in case of” is a compound preposition that means “in the event of” or “for the purpose of being prepared for.” For example:

• We always carry an umbrella in case of rain.
• The fire department conducted a drill in case of a real emergency.

With regard to

The phrase “with regard to” is a compound preposition that means “concerning” or “in relation to.” For example:

• With regard to your question, we will get back to you as soon as possible.
• The company issued a statement with regard to the recent data breach.

In accordance with

The phrase “in accordance with” is a compound preposition that means “in agreement with” or “in conformity with.” For example:

• The project was completed in accordance with the client’s specifications.
• All employees are expected to act in accordance with the company’s code of conduct.

By means of

The phrase “by means of” is a compound preposition that means “by way of” or “through the use of.” For example:

• The message was conveyed by means of a handwritten note.
• The device works by means of a rechargeable battery.

In reference to

The phrase “in reference to” is a compound preposition that means “with respect to” or “regarding.” For example:

• In reference to your inquiry, we have sent you an email.
• The article is in reference to the recent political developments in the country.

In place of

The phrase “in place of” is a compound preposition that means “instead of” or “in substitution for.” For example:

• She used margarine in place of butter in the recipe.
• The meeting was held via video conference in place of the in-person meeting.

In line with

The phrase “in line with” is a compound preposition that means “consistent with” or “in agreement with.” For example:

• The company’s policy is in line with industry standards.
• His actions were not in line with the company’s values.

In front

The phrase “in front” is a compound preposition that describes the position of something relative to another thing. For example:

• The park is located in front of the library.
• The restaurant is right in front of the movie theater.

In back of

The phrase “in back of” is a compound preposition that describes the position of something behind another thing. For example:

• The car was parked in back of the building.
• The garden is in back of the house.

Here are some more compound preposition examples:

On top of

The phrase “on top of” is a compound preposition that describes the position of something above another thing. For example:

• The cat is sleeping on top of the bookshelf.
• The cupcake has frosting on top of it.

In lieu of

The phrase “in lieu of” is a compound preposition that means “in place of” or “instead of.” For example:

• She donated money to charity in lieu of giving a gift to her friend.
• The manager offered extra vacation days in lieu of a bonus.

On account of

The phrase “on account of” is a compound preposition that means “because of” or “due to.” For example:

• The concert was cancelled on account of the rain.
• She missed the meeting on account of a family emergency.

In view of

The phrase “in view of” is a compound preposition that means “in consideration of” or “in light of.” For example:

• In view of your experience, we are offering you the job.
• In view of the current situation, we have decided to postpone the event.

By virtue of

The phrase “by virtue of” is a compound preposition that means “by reason of” or “because of.” For example:

• She became the CEO by virtue of her hard work and dedication.
• He was granted a visa by virtue of his skills and qualifications.

In spite of

The phrase “in spite of” is a compound preposition that means “despite” or “notwithstanding.” For example:

• In spite of the rain, they went ahead with the picnic.
• He passed the exam in spite of his lack of preparation.

With regard to

The phrase “with regard to” is a compound preposition that means “concerning” or “in relation to.” For example:

• With regard to your question, I will get back to you soon.
• The company has implemented new policies with regard to employee safety.

In accordance with

The phrase “in accordance with” is a compound preposition that means “in agreement with” or “in compliance with.” For example:

• The project was completed in accordance with the client’s specifications.
• All activities must be conducted in accordance with the company’s code of conduct.

By way of

The phrase “by way of” is a compound preposition that means “via” or “through.” For example:

• He sent the message by way of email.
• The goods were delivered by way of a courier service.

In the event of

The phrase “in the event of” is a compound preposition that means “in case of” or “if.” For example:

• In the event of a fire, evacuate the building immediately.
• We have contingency plans in place in the event of an emergency.

In addition to

The phrase “in addition to” is a compound preposition that means “as well as” or “in conjunction with.” For example:

• She speaks French, in addition to English.
• The company offers a range of benefits in addition to competitive pay.

On behalf of

The phrase “on behalf of” is a compound preposition that means “representing” or “in the interest of.” For example:

• He accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
• The lawyer made a statement on behalf of her client.

Here are some additional examples of compound prepositions:

In comparison to

The phrase “in comparison to” is a compound preposition that is used to compare two things. For example:

• In comparison to her brother, she is more outgoing.
• The new car is faster in comparison to the old one.

In the midst of

The phrase “in the midst of” is a compound preposition that means “in the middle of” or “during.” For example:

• The singer stopped singing in the midst of the song.
• The company was acquired in the midst of a financial crisis.

In exchange for

The phrase “in exchange for” is a compound preposition that means “in return for.” For example:

• She gave up her job in exchange for more free time.
• The company agreed to pay a higher price in exchange for faster delivery.

In place of

The phrase “in place of” is a compound preposition that means “instead of.” For example:

• He used his smartphone in place of a calculator.
• The actor replaced the original cast member in place of the injured one.

With respect to

The phrase “with respect to” is a compound preposition that means “regarding” or “in relation to.” For example:

• With respect to the budget, we need to cut down expenses.
• The report provides an analysis with respect to the market trends.

As of

The phrase “as of” is a compound preposition that means “starting from” or “on a particular date or time.” For example:

• As of January 1st, the company will introduce a new policy.
• She resigned as of the end of the month.

In the face of

The phrase “in the face of” is a compound preposition that means “when confronted with” or “despite.” For example:

• In the face of adversity, she remained resilient.
• The company continued to grow in the face of economic challenges.

In lieu of

The phrase “in lieu of” is a compound preposition that means “instead of” or “in place of.” For example:

• She donated money in lieu of attending the event.
• The company offered paid time off in lieu of overtime pay.

In the course of

The phrase “in the course of” is a compound preposition that means “during” or “while.” For example:

• In the course of the day, he completed all his work.
• The situation changed in the course of the investigation.

With respect for

The phrase “with respect for” is a compound preposition that means “with consideration for” or “with regard to.” For example:

• He spoke with respect for the audience’s time.
• The company operates with respect for environmental regulations.

In the absence of

The phrase “in the absence of” is a compound preposition that means “without” or “when not present.” For example:

• In the absence of evidence, the case was dismissed.
• The meeting was canceled in the absence of the chairman.

By means of

The phrase “by means of” is a compound preposition that means “through” or “with the help of.” For example:

• He communicated with his team by means of video conferencing.
• The project was completed by means of a new software tool.

10 Examples of Compound Preposition

Here are 10 more examples of compound prepositions:

In view of

The phrase “in view of” is a compound preposition that means “considering” or “taking into account.” For example:

• In view of the circumstances, we have decided to postpone the event.
• In view of your experience, we are offering you the job.

On account of

The phrase “on account of” is a compound preposition that means “because of” or “due to.” For example:

• On account of the weather, the game was canceled.
• He missed his flight on account of the traffic.

In the interest of

The phrase “in the interest of” is a compound preposition that means “for the benefit of” or “in order to promote.” For example:

• The new policy was implemented in the interest of employee safety.
• The company donated money in the interest of supporting local charities.

For the sake of

The phrase “for the sake of” is a compound preposition that means “for the benefit of” or “in order to achieve a particular outcome.” For example:

• He made sacrifices for the sake of his family.
• The company changed its policies for the sake of better customer service.

With the exception of

The phrase “with the exception of” is a compound preposition that means “excluding” or “apart from.” For example:

• Everyone was present with the exception of John.
• All items were sold with the exception of the damaged ones.

As opposed to

The phrase “as opposed to” is a compound preposition that means “in contrast to” or “rather than.” For example:

• He prefers dogs as opposed to cats.
• The new design is more modern as opposed to traditional.

In accordance with

The phrase “in accordance with” is a compound preposition that means “in compliance with” or “in agreement with.” For example:

• The project was completed in accordance with the client’s requirements.
• The company operates in accordance with local laws and regulations.

With a view to

The phrase “with a view to” is a compound preposition that means “with the intention of” or “with the purpose of.” For example:

• He is studying with a view to becoming a doctor.
• The company is expanding with a view to increasing its market share.

Conclusion

By using compound prepositions in your writing and speech, you can convey your thoughts and ideas more accurately and effectively. It’s important to be familiar with different prepositions and their meanings to choose the right ones in different contexts. Practice using these compound prepositions in your writing to improve your communication skills.

I hope these compound preposition examples are helpful!