To vs. With: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Published on January 25, 2024
To indicates direction, purpose, or destination, e.g., "I am going to the store." With denotes accompaniment, manner, or means, e.g., "I went there with my friend."
Key Differences
To is primarily used to indicate direction towards a place, person, or thing, such as in "She walked to the park." Conversely, With is often used to express accompaniment or association, as in "He came with his brother."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
In terms of purpose, To can signify an intended result, seen in "This letter is to inform you." With, however, can imply the tools or means, as in "She cut the paper with scissors."
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Jan 25, 2024
To is used in infinitive verb forms, like "to eat" or "to see." On the other hand, With can indicate manner or attitude, as in "She spoke with enthusiasm."
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Jan 25, 2024
To can also show a relationship between different things or people, like "I am senior to him." In contrast, With can signify having or containing something, e.g., "Coffee with milk."
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Jan 25, 2024
When expressing time, To denotes a specific point, as in "ten to five." Meanwhile, With doesn't have a direct role in expressing time, but it can show a state of being, like "busy with work."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
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Comparison Chart
Direction
Indicates movement towards a goal (e.g., "going to Paris")
Implies accompaniment or association (e.g., "traveling with friends")
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Purpose
Shows intention or objective (e.g., "a key to success")
Suggests means or method (e.g., "writing with a pen")
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Jan 25, 2024
Relationship
Expresses comparisons or relations (e.g., "junior to her")
Indicates possession or inclusion (e.g., "tea with sugar")
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Jan 25, 2024
Attitude/Manner
Not directly applicable
Conveys manner (e.g., "speaking with confidence")
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Jan 25, 2024
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To and With Definitions
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With
Having as a possession, attribute, or characteristic
Arrived with bad news.
A man with a moustache.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
Used as a function word to indicate accompanying detail or condition
Just sat there with his mouth open.
A patient with a bad back.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
In a manner characterized by
Performed with skill.
Spoke with enthusiasm.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Used to indicate appropriation or possession
Looked for the top to the jar.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
In support of; on the side of
I'm with anyone who wants to help the homeless.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
In the same group or mixture as; among
Planted onions with the carrots.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
In the membership or employment of
Plays with a jazz band.
Is with a publishing company.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
By the means or agency of
Eat with a fork.
Made us laugh with his jokes.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
By the presence or use of
A pillow stuffed with feathers.
Balloons filled with helium.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
In regard to
We are pleased with her decision. They are disgusted with the status quo.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
Used as a function word to indicate a party to an action, communicative activity, or informal agreement or settlement
Played with the dog.
Had a talk with the class.
Lives with an aunt.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
In comparison or contrast to
A car identical with the one her sister just bought.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
Having received
With her permission, he left. I escaped with just a few bruises.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Used to indicate the relationship of a verb with its complement
Refer to a dictionary.
Refer me to a dictionary.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
And; plus
My books, with my brother's, make a sizable library. We had turkey with all the trimmings.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Used with a reflexive pronoun to indicate exclusivity or separateness
Had the plane to ourselves.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
In one direction; toward a person or thing
Owls with feathers wrong end to.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
So as to be touching or joined to
Coupled the first car with the second.
Linked arms with their partners.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
To
Indicating destination: In the direction of, so as to arrive at.
We are walking to the shop.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
To
Used to indicate the target or recipient of an action.
I gave the book to him.
I spoke to him earlier.
He devoted himself to education.
They drank to his health.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
Being the partner of in a romantic relationship
In April, I will have been with my husband 24 years.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Used to indicate a resulting feeling or emotion.
To everyone's great relief, the tuneless carol singers finally ceased their warbling.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
As well as; in favorable comparison to
She could sing with the best of them.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Used after an adjective to indicate its application.
Similar to ..., relevant to ..., pertinent to ..., I was nice to him, he was cruel to her, I am used to walking.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
According to the experience or practice of
With me, it is a question of priorities.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Denotes the end of a range.
It takes 2 to 4 weeks to process typical applications.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
Used as a function word to indicate close association
With the advent of the rockets, the Space Age began.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
As a.
With God to friend (with God as a friend);
With The Devil to fiend (with the Devil as a foe);
Lambs slaughtered to lake (lambs slaughtered as a sacrifice);
Took her to wife (took her as a wife);
Was sold to slave (was sold as a slave).
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Used to indicate a ratio or comparison; compared to, as against.
One to one = 1:1
Ten to one = 10:1.
I have ten dollars to your four.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
(arithmetic) Used to indicate that the preceding term is to be raised to the power of the following value; indicates exponentiation.
Three squared or three to the second power is nine.
Three to the power of two is nine.
Three to the second is nine.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
In the company of; alongside, close to; near to.
He went with his friends.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
(time) Preceding the next hour.
What's the time? – It's quarter to four in the afternoon (or 3:45 pm).
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Jan 10, 2024
With
In addition to; as an accessory to.
She owns a motorcycle with a sidecar.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
(informal) Often used without the hour
It’s quarter to (3:45, or 4:45, or whatever time ending in 45 would make the most sense)
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
Used to add supplemental information, especially to indicate simultaneous happening, or immediate succession or consequence.
Jim was listening to Bach with his eyes closed.
The match result was 10-5, with John scoring three goals.
With a heavy sigh, she looked around the empty room.
Four people were injured, with one of them in critical condition.
With their reputation on the line, they decided to fire their PR team.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
To
Used to describe what something consists of or contains.
Anyone could do this job; there's nothing to it.
There's a lot of sense to what he says.
The name has a nice ring to it.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
In support of. redundant to be with#English?
We are with you all the way.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
In regard to.
There are a number of problems with your plan.
What on Earth is wrong with my keyboard?
He was pleased with the outcome.
I'm upset with my father.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
(obsolete) To denote the accomplishment of cause, means, instrument, etc; – sometimes equivalent to by.
Slain with robbers
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Jan 10, 2024
To
(regionalism) Toward a closed, touching or engaging position.
Please push the door to.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
Using as an instrument; by means of.
Cut with a knife
I water my plants with this watering can. This is the watering can I water my plants with.
Find what you want instantly with our search engine.
They dismissed the meeting with a wave of their hand.
Speak with a confident voice.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
To
The preposition to primarily indicates approach and arrival, motion made in the direction of a place or thing and attaining it, access; and also, motion or tendency without arrival; movement toward; - opposed to from.
Stay with us, go not to Wittenberg.
So to the sylvan lodgeThey came, that like Pomona's arbor smiled.
I'll to him again, . . . He'll tell me all his purpose.She stretched her arms to heaven.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
Affected by (a certain emotion or condition).
Speak with confidence.
He spoke with sadness in his voice.
The sailors were infected with malaria.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Hence, it indicates motion, course, or tendency toward a time, a state or condition, an aim, or anything capable of being regarded as a limit to a tendency, movement, or action; as, he is going to a trade; he is rising to wealth and honor.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
Prompted by (a certain emotion).
Overcome with happiness
Green with envy; flushed with success
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Jan 10, 2024
To
In a very general way, and with innumerable varieties of application, to connects transitive verbs with their remoter or indirect object, and adjectives, nouns, and neuter or passive verbs with a following noun which limits their action. Its sphere verges upon that of for, but it contains less the idea of design or appropriation; as, these remarks were addressed to a large audience; let us keep this seat to ourselves; a substance sweet to the taste; an event painful to the mind; duty to God and to our parents; a dislike to spirituous liquor.
Marks and points out each man of us to slaughter.
Whilst they, distilledAlmost to jelly with the act of fear,Stand dumb and speak not to him.
Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
I have a king's oath to the contrary.
Numbers were crowded to death.
Fate and the dooming gods are deaf to tears.
Go, buckle to the law.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
In the employment of.
She's was with Acme for twenty years before retiring last fall.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
As sign of the infinitive, to had originally the use of last defined, governing the infinitive as a verbal noun, and connecting it as indirect object with a preceding verb or adjective; thus, ready to go, i.e., ready unto going; good to eat, i.e., good for eating; I do my utmost to lead my life pleasantly. But it has come to be the almost constant prefix to the infinitive, even in situations where it has no prepositional meaning, as where the infinitive is direct object or subject; thus, I love to learn, i.e., I love learning; to die for one's country is noble, i.e., the dying for one's country. Where the infinitive denotes the design or purpose, good usage formerly allowed the prefixing of for to the to; as, what went ye out for see? (Matt. xi. 8).
Then longen folk to go on pilgrimages,And palmers for to seeken strange stranders.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
Keeping up with; understanding; following along.
That was a lot to explain, are you still with me?
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Jan 10, 2024
To
In many phrases, and in connection with many other words, to has a pregnant meaning, or is used elliptically.
We ready are to try our fortunesTo the last man.
Few of the Esquimaux can count to ten.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
(US) Along, together with others, in a group, etc.
Do you want to come with?
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Effect; end; consequence; as, the prince was flattered to his ruin; he engaged in a war to his cost; violent factions exist to the prejudice of the state.
Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
To
Accord; adaptation; as, an occupation to his taste; she has a husband to her mind.
He to God's image, she to his was made.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
To
Comparison; as, three is to nine as nine is to twenty-seven; it is ten to one that you will offend him.
All that they did was piety to this.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
With denotes or expresses some situation or relation of nearness, proximity, association, connection, or the like.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Addition; union; accumulation.
Wisdom he has, and to his wisdom, courage.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
To denote a close or direct relation of opposition or hostility; - equivalent to against.
Thy servant will . . . fight with this Philistine.
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Jan 10, 2024
To
Accompaniment; as, she sang to his guitar; they danced to the music of a piano.
Anon they moveIn perfect phalanx to the Dorian moodOf flutes and soft recorders.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
To denote association in respect of situation or environment; hence, among; in the company of.
I will buy with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you.
Pity your own, or pity our estate,Nor twist our fortunes with your sinking fate.
See where on earth the flowery glories lie;With her they flourished, and with her they die.
There is no living with thee nor without thee.
Such arguments had invincible force with those pagan philosophers.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
To
Character; condition of being; purpose subserved or office filled.
Made his masters and others . . . to consider him to a little wonder.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow;Creeps in this petty pace from day to day.
There was great showing both to and fro.
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Jan 10, 2024
With
To denote a connection of friendship, support, alliance, assistance, countenance, etc.; hence, on the side of.
Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
To denote the accomplishment of cause, means, instrument, etc; - sometimes equivalent to by.
That with these fowls I be all to-rent.
Thou wilt be like a lover presently,And tire the hearer with a book of words.
[He] entertained a coffeehouse with the following narrative.
With receiving your friends within and amusing them without, you lead a good, pleasant, bustling life of it.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
To denote association in thought, as for comparison or contrast.
Can blazing carbuncles with her compare.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
To denote simultaneous happening, or immediate succession or consequence.
With that she told me . . . that she would hide no truth from me.
With her they flourished, and with her they die.
With this he pointed to his face.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 10, 2024
With
To denote having as a possession or an appendage; as, the firmament with its stars; a bride with a large fortune.
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Jan 10, 2024
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can "to" indicate a relationship between two things?
Yes, e.g., "This is similar to that."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Does "with" show presence or inclusion?
Yes, e.g., "A team with good players."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Can "to" be used as a conjunction?
No, "to" is not a conjunction. It functions as a preposition.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Can "to" be used to indicate receiving something?
No, "to" doesn't typically indicate receiving; it's more about direction or purpose.
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
What are some common idiomatic expressions using "to"?
Examples include "to and fro," "to no avail," and "to the best of my knowledge."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Is "with" used to describe material?
Yes, like in "a dress made with silk."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Can "with" be used to indicate opposition?
Yes, as in "arguing with someone."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Is "with" interchangeable with "using" or "by means of"?
In some cases, "with" can be used interchangeably with "using" or "by means of" to indicate how something is done (e.g., "cut with a knife").
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
What is the opposite of "to" in terms of direction?
The opposite of "to" in terms of direction is often "from."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Can "with" be used to express agreement?
Yes, "with" can be used to show agreement or alignment of ideas (e.g., "I'm with you on that").
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Can "with" be used to indicate location?
Yes, "with" can sometimes be used to indicate a nearby location (e.g., "the house with the red door").
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Can "to" be used to express a goal or intention?
Yes, "to" is often used to indicate a goal or intention (e.g., "I went to the store to buy groceries").
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Is "to" used for expressing time?
Yes, particularly in telling time, like "quarter to six."
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Can "with" be used in a negative sense?
Yes, "with" can be used to convey negative associations or conditions (e.g., "He left with a heavy heart").
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Is "to" used in comparative and superlative forms?
No, comparative and superlative forms typically use "than" (e.g., "taller than," "fastest").
Shumaila Saeed
Jan 25, 2024
Are there any idiomatic expressions using "with"?
Yes, examples include "come up with," "deal with," and "put up with."
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Jan 25, 2024
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Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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