This list includes 27 Prepositions that start with W, from “while” to “worth”. These are mainly single-word prepositions and a few multi-word phrases whose first word is W. They’re useful in everyday speech, writing, teaching, and editing.
Prepositions that start with W are words or short phrases that link nouns, pronouns, or clauses to other words. Notably, forms like “with” and “without” come from Old English and remain highly common.
Below you’ll find the table with Preposition, Definition, Common pairings, and Example.
Preposition: The preposition itself; use this to locate the word form quickly and confirm spelling and usage.
Definition: A concise meaning in plain language so you can judge whether the preposition fits your sentence.
Common pairings: Typical collocations or complements that show how the preposition combines with nouns, verbs, or phrases.
Example: A clear sentence using the preposition so you see its context and natural word order.
Prepositions that start with W
| Preposition | Type | Meaning | Common pairings |
|---|---|---|---|
| with | single-word preposition | accompanied by; using | friends, permission, care, enthusiasm, a tool |
| within | single-word preposition | inside; not beyond a limit | the city, 24 hours, reason, bounds, reach |
| without | single-word preposition | not having; outside | permission, help, doubt, power, complaint |
| worth | single-word preposition | having a specified value or merit | the cost, the effort, mentioning, noting, the price |
| while | single-word preposition | during the time of (also conjunction) | the trip, lunch, the meeting, the storm, summer |
| with respect to | prepositional phrase | concerning; regarding | this matter, the proposal, policy, law, safety |
| with regard to | prepositional phrase | concerning; about | the plan, your request, taxes, policy, safety |
| with reference to | prepositional phrase | in connection with; referring to | your letter, the report, clause, evidence, article |
| with a view to | prepositional phrase | with the intention or purpose of | improving, hiring, reducing costs, expanding, testing |
| with the aid of | prepositional phrase | using help or assistance from | volunteers, technology, medication, tools, experts |
| with the help of | prepositional phrase | aided by; using assistance from | friends, software, funding, experts, volunteers |
| with the exception of | prepositional phrase | excluding; except for | Sundays, one person, minor errors, weekends, taxes |
| without regard to | prepositional phrase | ignoring; irrespective of | cost, gender, rank, complaint, consequences |
| without a doubt | prepositional phrase | certainly; unquestionably | he is, this is, she will be, it remains, the best |
| without question | prepositional phrase | certainly; beyond dispute | his talent, the answer, her skill, the fact, the winner |
| with intent to | prepositional phrase | with the purpose of doing something | harm, sell, commit, deceive, escape |
| with the intention of | prepositional phrase | intending to; for the purpose of | applying, changing, starting, improving, opening |
| with an eye to | prepositional phrase | considering; aiming toward | future projects, expansion, hiring, design, improvement |
| with the understanding that | prepositional phrase | on the condition or agreement that | they would, payment would, parties would, terms would, clauses would |
| without prejudice to | prepositional phrase | not affecting existing rights or claims | rights, claims, agreements, applications, contracts |
| without loss of | prepositional phrase | without reducing or losing something | generality, time, data, quality, function |
| without further ado | prepositional phrase | without delay or unnecessary fuss | let’s begin, the show, the presentation, the ceremony, proceedings |
| with bated breath | prepositional phrase | eagerly or anxiously awaiting | audience, readers, fans, listeners, supporters |
| with compliments | prepositional phrase | used to convey polite goodwill or free offering | the sender, the company, this sample, the chef, the publisher |
| within sight of | prepositional phrase | close enough to be seen | the town, land, the finish line, the coast, the harbor |
| within reach of | prepositional phrase | close enough to be reached | the goal, the deadline, the child, the tool, the shore |
| within walking distance of | prepositional phrase | close enough to walk to | the station, the beach, the shop, campus, office |
Descriptions
with
Common, versatile preposition for accompaniment or instrument. Example: “She went with her friend.” Neutral register; extremely frequent in speech and writing.
within
Indicates interior or limits. Example: “Finish it within a week.” Neutral/formal; common in instructions and legal texts.
without
Denotes absence or exclusion. Example: “He left without his keys.” Neutral; also forms idioms and legal phrases.
worth
Functions as preposition and adjective. Example: “It’s worth the effort.” Neutral; common in everyday evaluative statements.
while
Often a conjunction but used prepositionally with noun phrases. Example: “While in Rome, she studied art.” Common in informal and formal registers.
with respect to
Formal phrase used in discussion and writing. Example: “With respect to your question, we’ll reply tomorrow.” Frequent in reports and emails.
with regard to
Synonymous with “with respect to.” Example: “With regard to fees, see the schedule.” Formal register; common in business/legal texts.
with reference to
Used in formal correspondence. Example: “With reference to your letter, we respond.” Formal and common in official letters.
with a view to
Indicates purpose. Example: “They met with a view to expanding sales.” Formal; frequent in planning contexts.
with the aid of
Neutral phrase indicating assistance. Example: “She painted the mural with the aid of volunteers.” Common in reports and narratives.
with the help of
Everyday phrase for assistance. Example: “He fixed it with the help of a mechanic.” Informal to neutral.
with the exception of
Used to state exclusions. Example: “All attended with the exception of John.” Neutral/formal; common in lists and reports.
without regard to
Often used in legal and policy contexts. Example: “Decisions made without regard to cost.” Formal/legal register.
without a doubt
Idiomatic emphatic phrase. Example: “Without a doubt, she won.” Informal to neutral; common in speech and writing.
without question
Emphatic phrase used for certainty. Example: “He is, without question, the leader.” Neutral/formal.
with intent to
Common in legal contexts. Example: “They acted with intent to defraud.” Formal/legal register.
with the intention of
Expresses purpose. Example: “She called with the intention of apologizing.” Neutral/formal; common in narratives.
with an eye to
Idiomatic phrase meaning in consideration of. Example: “We hired him with an eye to expansion.” Neutral/informal.
with the understanding that
Used to record conditions. Example: “We agreed, with the understanding that costs are shared.” Formal/legal tone.
without prejudice to
Common legal phrase. Example: “Offered without prejudice to other claims.” Legal register; frequent in law.
without loss of
Used in technical/mathematical contexts. Example: “Without loss of generality, assume x>0.” Formal/technical.
without further ado
Idiomatic lead-in phrase. Example: “Without further ado, here is the winner.” Informal to neutral; common in speech.
with bated breath
Fixed idiom for eager anticipation. Example: “They waited with bated breath.” Formal/idiomatic; somewhat literary.
with compliments
Formulaic phrase in notes or packaging. Example: “With compliments from the publisher.” Polite/formal; common in business correspondence.
within sight of
Spatial phrase indicating visibility. Example: “They sailed within sight of land.” Neutral; common in narratives.
within reach of
Indicates proximity or attainability. Example: “The prize is within reach of the team.” Neutral; everyday use.
within walking distance of
Common in travel and real-estate contexts. Example: “The café is within walking distance of the hotel.” Informal/neutral.