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Lindsaylohan Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary

Overcome by or overcome with

My question is with which preposition to use OVERCOME in this sentence: He was overcome (BY or WITH?) spiritual break-down.
  

Top answer

The problem is that 'spiritual breakdown' sounds a bit odd, so I cannot judge the prepositions well. I can give you these figures from COCA: overcome by - 676 instances overcome with - 432 instances overcome by emotion -22 instances overcome with emotion - 55 instances overcome by smoke - 5 instances overcome with smoke - 0 instances

— Mister Micawber

  • The problem is that 'spiritual breakdown' sounds a bit odd, so I cannot judge the prepositions well.
  • I can give you these figures from COCA: overcome by - 676 instances overcome with - 432 instances overcome by emotion -22 instances overcome with emotion - 55 instances overcome by smoke - 5 instances overcome with smoke - 0 instances
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2 Answers
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The problem is that 'spiritual breakdown' sounds a bit odd, so I cannot judge the prepositions well.

I can give you these figures from COCA:

overcome by - 676 instances
overcome with - 432 instances
overcome by emotion -22 instances

overcome with emotion - 55 instances
overcome by smoke - 5 instances
overcome with smoke - 0 instances
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Hi

Overcome by an external agency. (e.g. overcome by British forces)
Overcome with an internal agency (e.g. overcome with love)
Mister MicawberThe problem is that 'spiritual breakdown' sounds a bit odd, so I cannot judge the prepositions well.I can give you these figures from COCA:overcome by - 676 instancesovercome with - 432 instancesovercome by emotion -22
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