Be Disgusted To Do vs. Disgusted By Something
Be Disgusted To Do vs. Disgusted By Something distinguishes two directly documented complement patterns for the adjective “disgusted.” Use disgusted + to-infinitive for the directly documented infinitival construction; use disgusted by + noun phrase for the separately documented prepositional construction. The page stays within those attested patterns and does not infer a broader rule from synonymy.
Use disgusted + to-infinitive when the adjective takes its documented infinitive complement; use disgusted by + noun phrase when the complement is introduced by the documented preposition.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| reaction presented with an event/action | disgusted + to-infinitive | use the documented infinitive complement |
| cause or source of disgust | disgusted by + noun phrase | use the prepositional pattern to name the cause |
Quick tests
Event-or-cause test
Is the sentence presenting the event with an infinitive, or naming what caused the disgust?
If yes: Use “disgusted to + verb” for the event construction.
If no: Use “disgusted by + noun phrase” for the cause/source.
Caveat: The contrast is construction-specific; do not assume every adjective of reaction takes the same complements.
Examples
She was disgusted to see the litter left behind.
The infinitive presents the event that triggered the reaction.
He was disgusted by the behaviour.
“By” names the cause of the disgust.
Use the complement that matches the intended relation, not a word-for-word substitution.
The two patterns express related but distinct grammatical relations.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use disgusted + to-infinitive for the directly documented infinitival construction; use disgusted by + noun phrase for the separately documented prepositional construction.
Style Boundary
Treat this as a comparison of directly documented complement patterns, not as a claim that every other complement is impossible. Choose the construction that matches the intended grammatical relationship.
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.
- disgusted adjective — Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Oxford University Press · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for disgusted + to-infinitive and disgusted at/by + complement