Be Amazed To Do vs. Amazed At Something
Cambridge directly records amazed + to-infinitive and amazed at + complement, making it an evidence-safe replacement for the unsupported Satisfied proposal.
Use “amazed to see/find/hear/discover…” when amazed is followed by an infinitive event. Use “amazed at something” when the complement names the fact, quantity, result, or circumstance causing surprise.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Complement | Pattern | Typical focus |
|---|---|---|
| event discovered/experienced | amazed + to-infinitive | amazed to see/find/hear |
| fact/result/quantity/circumstance | amazed at + noun/-ing | amazed at the result |
Quick tests
Focus test
Are you introducing the surprising event with an infinitive, or naming what caused the surprise?
If yes: Use “amazed to + verb” for the event construction.
If no: Use “amazed at + complement” for the thing, fact, amount, result, or circumstance that causes surprise.
Caveat: Both are documented; choose by complement role rather than treating them as interchangeable punctuation variants.
Examples
I was amazed to see how quickly it changed.
The infinitive introduces the surprising event.
I was amazed at the final total.
The noun phrase names what caused the surprise.
She was amazed at finding the file intact.
The preposition can introduce an -ing complement naming the surprising circumstance.
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge documents amazed + to-infinitive and amazed at + noun/clause as standard patterns.
Style Boundary
Use at for the thing, fact, or degree producing surprise; use to + base verb when the surprising event is expressed as an infinitive.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Amazed (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for amazed + to-infinitive and amazed at + noun/clause.