With vs. By: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
With typically indicates accompaniment, means, or manner, while by often denotes the agent performing an action or the method of doing something.
Key Differences
With is used to show accompaniment or presence, suggesting that someone or something is together or involved with another. By, in contrast, is often used to indicate the agent or the person who performs an action, as in "written by."
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Dec 21, 2023
In expressing means or instruments used to do something, with is the preposition of choice, as in "writing with a pen." By, however, is used to denote the method or process of doing something, like "by typing."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
When indicating a manner or way in which something is done, with comes into play, as in "with enthusiasm." For specifying the cause or reason, by is more appropriate, such as "by accident."
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Dec 21, 2023
With can also imply having or possessing something, as in "a man with a hat." By, on the other hand, can denote proximity or nearness, as in "by the window."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
In the context of time, with isn't commonly used, whereas by is often employed to indicate a deadline or end time, such as "by 5 o'clock."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
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Comparison Chart
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With and By Definitions
By
Identifying the agent performing an action.
The book was written by George.
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Dec 14, 2023
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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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Dec 13, 2023
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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Dec 13, 2023
With
In a manner characterized by
Performed with skill.
Spoke with enthusiasm.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In support of; on the side of
I'm with anyone who wants to help the homeless.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In the same group or mixture as; among
Planted onions with the carrots.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Used to indicate a succession of specified individuals, groups, or quantities
One by one they left. They were persuaded little by little.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In the membership or employment of
Plays with a jazz band.
Is with a publishing company.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
By the means or agency of
Eat with a fork.
Made us laugh with his jokes.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
By the presence or use of
A pillow stuffed with feathers.
Balloons filled with helium.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Toward. Used to express direction with points of the compass
South by east.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In regard to
We are pleased with her decision. They are disgusted with the status quo.
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Dec 13, 2023
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.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In comparison or contrast to
A car identical with the one her sister just bought.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
Having received
With her permission, he left. I escaped with just a few bruises.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
And; plus
My books, with my brother's, make a sizable library. We had turkey with all the trimmings.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
From one side of something to the other, passing close by; past.
The stream runs by our back door.
He ran straight by me.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Not later than (the given time); not later than the end of (the given time interval).
Be back by ten o'clock!.
We'll find someone by the end of March.
We will send it by the first week of July.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Indicates the person or thing that does or causes something: Through the action or presence of.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Following a passive verb.
The matter was decided by the chairman.
The boat was swamped by the water.
He was protected by his body armour.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
So as to be touching or joined to
Coupled the first car with the second.
Linked arms with their partners.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
(not in common modern use) Following an adjective.
I was aghast by what I saw.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Indicates the creator of a work: Existing through the authorship etc. of.
There are many well-known plays by William Shakespeare
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Indicates a means of achieving something: Involving/using the means of.
I avoided the guards by moving only when they weren't looking.
By Pythagoras' theorem, we can calculate the length of the hippopotamus.
We went by bus.
I discovered it by chance.
By 'maybe' she means 'no'.
The electricity was cut off, so we had to read by candlelight.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Indicates an authority according to which something is done.
By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
Being the partner of in a romantic relationship
In April, I will have been with my husband 24 years.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Invokes an authority in an oath.
By Jove! I think she's got it!
By all that is holy, I'll put an end to this.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
As well as; in favorable comparison to
She could sing with the best of them.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Indicates a means of classification or organisation.
I sorted the items by category.
Table 1 shows details of our employees broken down by sex and age.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
According to the experience or practice of
With me, it is a question of priorities.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Indicates the amount of change, difference or discrepancy
Our stock is up by ten percent.
His date of birth was wrong by ten years.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
Used as a function word to indicate close association
With the advent of the rockets, the Space Age began.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
In the formulae X by X and by Xs, indicates a steady progression, one X after another.
We went through the book page by page.
We crawled forward by inches.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Acted on in units of the specified size or measure. (Sometimes hyperbolically)
Sold by the yard; cheaper if bought by the gross
He drinks brandy by the bucketful!
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Per; with or in proportion to each.
His health was deteriorating by the day.
The pickers are paid by the bushel.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In the company of; alongside, close to; near to.
He went with his friends.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Indicates a referenced source: According to.
He cheated by his own admission.
By my reckoning, we should be nearly there.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In addition to; as an accessory to.
She owns a motorcycle with a sidecar.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Used to separate dimensions when describing the size of something.
It is easy to invert a 2-by-2 matrix.
The room was about 4 foot by 6 foot.
The bricks used to build the wall measured 10 by 20 by 30 cm.
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Dec 13, 2023
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.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
(horse breeding) Designates a horse's male parent (sire); cf. out of.
She's a lovely little filly, by Big Lad, out of Damsel in Distress.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In support of. redundant to be with#English?
We are with you all the way.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
At, with, among
Are you eating by Rabbi Fischer? (at the house of)
By Chabad, it's different. (with, among)
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Dec 13, 2023
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.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
(obsolete) To denote the accomplishment of cause, means, instrument, etc; – sometimes equivalent to by.
Slain with robbers
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Dec 13, 2023
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.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
To or at a place, as a residence or place of business.
I'll stop by on my way home from work.
We're right near the lifeguard station. Come by before you leave.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Aside, away.
The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring.
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Dec 13, 2023
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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Dec 13, 2023
With
Prompted by (a certain emotion).
Overcome with happiness
Green with envy; flushed with success
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Dec 13, 2023
With
In the employment of.
She's was with Acme for twenty years before retiring last fall.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
Keeping up with; understanding; following along.
That was a lot to explain, are you still with me?
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Dec 13, 2023
By
In the neighborhood of; near or next to; not far from; close to; along with; as, come and sit by me.
By foundation or by shady rivuletHe sought them both.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
(US) Along, together with others, in a group, etc.
Do you want to come with?
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Dec 13, 2023
By
On; along; in traversing. Compare 5.
Long labors both by sea and land he bore.
By land, by water, they renew the charge.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Near to, while passing; hence, from one to the other side of; past; as, to go by a church.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Used in specifying adjacent dimensions; as, a cabin twenty feet by forty.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
With denotes or expresses some situation or relation of nearness, proximity, association, connection, or the like.
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Dec 13, 2023
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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Dec 13, 2023
By
With, as means, way, process, etc.; through means of; with aid of; through; through the act or agency of; as, a city is destroyed by fire; profit is made by commerce; to take by force.
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Dec 13, 2023
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.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Near; in the neighborhood; present; as, there was no person by at the time.
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Dec 13, 2023
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.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Passing near; going past; past; beyond; as, the procession has gone by; a bird flew by.
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Dec 13, 2023
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.
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Dec 13, 2023
With
To denote association in thought, as for comparison or contrast.
Can blazing carbuncles with her compare.
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Dec 13, 2023
By
Out of the common path; aside; - used in composition, giving the meaning of something aside, secondary, or incidental, or collateral matter, a thing private or avoiding notice; as, by-line, by-place, by-play, by-street. It was formerly more freely used in composition than it is now; as, by-business, by-concernment, by-design, by-interest, etc.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
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
Dec 13, 2023
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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Dec 13, 2023
By
In reserve; not for immediate use;
Started setting aside money to buy a car
Put something by for her old age
Has a nestegg tucked away for a rainy day
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Dec 13, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is 'with' used for passive constructions?
No, 'with' is not typically used in passive voice; 'by' is used instead.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Can 'by' indicate a method of transportation?
Yes, 'by' is often used to indicate how someone travels, as in "by car" or "by train."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Can 'with' and 'by' be used interchangeably?
No, they have different uses and cannot be substituted for each other without changing the sentence's meaning.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Is 'with' used to indicate possession?
Yes, 'with' can indicate having or possessing something.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Can 'with' imply manner or attitude?
Yes, 'with' can describe the manner or way something is done.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Is 'by' used to specify location?
'By' can indicate proximity or nearness to a place or object.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Are there any idiomatic expressions with "with" and "by"?
Yes, for example, "by heart" means memorized, and "with flying colors" means exceptionally well.
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Dec 21, 2023
How does 'with' function in recipes or instructions?
'With' is used to denote ingredients or items used together.
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Dec 21, 2023
How does 'with' express relationships?
'With' can express companionship, attachment, or association.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
How can I remember when to use "with" or "by"?
Practice is key, but generally, "with" indicates association or presence, while "by" indicates means or method.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
How does 'by' function in a time context?
'By' is used to signify a deadline or a point in time before which something should occur.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Are there any exceptions to the use of "with" and "by"?
While there are guidelines, prepositions in English can be tricky, so it's important to familiarize yourself with common usage through reading and conversation.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Is there a difference between "with pleasure" and "by pleasure"?
Yes, "with pleasure" means willingly or gladly, while "by pleasure" is not a common phrase in English.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
Can I use "with" and "by" together in a sentence?
In some cases, you can use both, but it depends on the context. For example, "She fixed the car with a wrench, by herself."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 21, 2023
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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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