At vs. By — What's the Difference?

Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 16, 2024

"At" denotes specific locations or points in time, emphasizing precision, while "by" often indicates a method, means, or proximity, showing a more relational aspect.

Difference Between At and By

Key Differences

"At" is used to specify exact locations, as in "Meet me at the library," pinpointing a precise geographic or conceptual spot. On the other hand, "by" suggests proximity or nearby locations, as in "Sit by the window," which does not require direct contact or pinpoint accuracy.

In terms of time, "at" indicates specific moments, such as "at 5 PM," marking an exact point. Whereas "by" denotes a deadline or the latest possible time for an event, as in "Finish your work by Friday," suggesting any time before the specified limit.

"At" can also signify an event or occurrence, like "at the party," implying presence or participation. Conversely, "by" often refers to the means or agent performing an action, as in "written by the author," highlighting the cause or method.

When it comes to technology or social media, "at" is commonly used in email addresses or Twitter handles, like "@username," symbolizing a direct connection or address. In contrast, "by" is used to indicate authorship or creation in media, such as "song by the artist," focusing on attribution.

"At" can function as a focal point for actions, as in "smile at the camera," where the action is directed towards something specific. On the other hand, "by" can show a process or transformation, such as "multiply by two," indicating the method of action.

Comparison Chart

Location

Specifies exact location

Indicates proximity without precision

Time

Exact point in time

Deadline or no later than a time

Event Participation

Indicates presence at events

Means or agent in actions

Technology

Used in handles and digital addresses

Indicates authorship or creation

Direction of Action

Directs action towards a target

Describes method or process

Compare with Definitions

At

Suggests a particular point in a process.

Look at page ten.

By

Shows means or method.

Travel by train is relaxing.

At

Used to indicate specific times.

The meeting starts at noon.

By

Indicates a deadline.

I need this done by Monday.

At

Preposition used for precise location.

She arrived at the station.

By

Preposition used for proximity.

The park by the river is peaceful.

At

Directs action towards something.

They laughed at the joke.

By

Multiplicative or transformative action.

Increase the result by five.

At

Marks attendance in a context.

He was surprised at the outcome.

By

Used for authorship or creation.

A novel by Hemingway.

At

Expressing location or arrival in a particular place or position

They live at Conway House

They stopped at a small trattoria

By

Identifying the agent performing an action.

At

Expressing the time when an event takes place

The children go to bed at nine o'clock

His death came at a time when the movement was split

By

Indicating the means of achieving something

They substantiate their opinions by the use of precise textual reference

They plan to provide further working capital by means of borrowing

Malaria can be controlled by attacking the parasite

At

Denoting a particular point or level on a scale

Driving at 50 mph

Prices start at £18,500

By

Indicating the amount or size of a margin

The raising of VAT by 2.5%

The shot missed her by miles

At

Expressing a particular state or condition

His ready smile put her at ease

They were at a disadvantage

By

Indicating a deadline or the end of a particular time period

By now Kelly needed extensive physiotherapy

I've got to do this report by Monday

At

Expressing the object of a look, thought, action, or plan

I looked at my watch

Policies aimed at reducing taxation

Leslie pointed at him

By

Indicating location of a physical object beside a place or object

Remains were discovered by the roadside

The pram was by the dresser

At

Expressing the means by which something is done

Her pride had taken a beating at his hands

Holding a prison officer at knifepoint

By

Indicating the period in which something happens

This animal always hunts by night

At

A monetary unit of Laos, equal to one hundredth of a kip.

By

Concerning; according to

She had done her duty by him

Anything you do is all right by me

At

In or near the area occupied by; in or near the location of

At the market.

At our destination.

By

Used in mild oaths

It was the least he could do, by God

I swear by Almighty God

At

In or near the position of

Always at my side.

At the center of the page.

By

So as to go past

A car flashed by on the other side of the road

He let only a moment go by

At

To or toward the direction or location of, especially for a specific purpose

Questions came at us from all sides.

By

Variant spelling of bye

At

Present during; attending

At the dance.

By

Close to; next to

The window by the door.

At

Within the interval or span of

At the dinner hour.

At a glance.

By

With the use or help of; through

We came by the back road.

At

In the state or condition of

At peace with one's conscience.

By

Up to and beyond; past

We drove by the house.

At

In the activity or field of

Skilled at playing chess.

Good at math.

By

At or to

Stopped by the bakery.

Came by the house.

At

To or using the rate, extent, or amount of; to the point of

At 30 cents a pound.

At high speed.

At 20 paces.

At 350°F.

By

In the period of; during

Sleeping by day.

At

On, near, or by the time or age of

At three o'clock.

At 72 years of age.

By

Not later than

By 5:30 PM.

At

On account of; because of

Rejoice at a victory.

By

In the amount of

Letters by the thousands.

At

By way of; through

Exited at the rear gate.

By

To the extent of

Shorter by two inches.

At

In accord with; following

At my request.

By

According to

Played by the rules.

At

Dependent upon

At the mercy of the court.

By

With respect to

Siblings by blood.

At

Occupied with

At work.

By

In the name of

Swore by the Bible to tell the truth.

At

In, near, or in the general vicinity of a particular place.

Caesar was at Rome

At the corner of Fourth Street and Vine

At Jim’s house

By

Through the agency or action of

Was killed by a bullet.

At

Indicating occurrence in an instant of time or a period of time relatively short in context or from the speaker's perspective.

At six o’clock

At closing time

At night

By

Used to indicate a succession of specified individuals, groups, or quantities

One by one they left. They were persuaded little by little.

At

In the direction of (often in an unfocused or uncaring manner).

He threw the ball at me.

He shouted at her.

By

Used in multiplication and division

Multiply 4 by 6 to get 24.

At

Denotes a price.

3 apples at 2¢ (each)

The offer was at $30,000 before negotiations.

By

Used with measurements

A room 12 by 18 feet.

At

Occupied in (activity).

Men at work

By

Toward. Used to express direction with points of the compass

South by east.

At

In a state of.

She is at sixes and sevens with him.

They are at loggerheads over how best to tackle the fiscal cliff.

The city was at the mercy of the occupying forces.

By

On hand; nearby

Stand by.

At

Indicates a position on a scale or in a series.

Sell at 90.

Tiger finished the round at tenth, seven strokes behind the leaders.

I'm offering it—just to select customers—at cost.

By

Aside; away

We put it by for later.

At

Because of.

To laugh at a joke

Mad at their comments

By

Up to, alongside, and past

The car raced by.

At

Indicates a means, method, or manner.

By

At or to one's home or current location

Stop by later today.

At

Holding a given speed or rate.

It is growing at the rate of 3% a year.

Cruising along at fifty miles per hour.

By

Into the past

As years go by.

At

(used for skills (including in activities) or areas of knowledge) On the subject of; regarding.

The twins were both bad at chemistry.

He slipped at marksmanship over his extended vacation.

By

Variant of bye1.

At

Bothering, irritating, causing discomfort to

By

Near or next to.

The mailbox is by the bus stop.

At

On a particular date.

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.

At

The at sign (@).

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.

At

Rare form of @

By

Indicates the person or thing that does or causes something: Through the action or presence of.

At

Primarily, this word expresses the relations of presence, nearness in place or time, or direction toward; as, at the ninth hour; at the house; to aim at a mark. It is less definite than in or on; at the house may be in or near the house. From this original import are derived all the various uses of at.

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.

At

A relation of proximity to, or of presence in or on, something; as, at the door; at your shop; at home; at school; at hand; at sea and on land.

By

Following a noun.

There was a call by the unions for a 30% pay rise.

At

The relation of some state or condition; as, at war; at peace; at ease; at your service; at fault; at liberty; at risk; at disadvantage.

By

(not in common modern use) Following an adjective.

I was aghast by what I saw.

At

The relation of some employment or action; occupied with; as, at engraving; at husbandry; at play; at work; at meat (eating); except at puns.

By

Indicates the creator of a work: Existing through the authorship etc. of.

There are many well-known plays by William Shakespeare

At

The relation of a point or position in a series, or of degree, rate, or value; as, with the thermometer at 80°; goods sold at a cheap price; a country estimated at 10,000 square miles; life is short at the longest.

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.

At

The relations of time, age, or order; as, at ten o'clock; at twenty-one; at once; at first.

By

Indicates an authority according to which something is done.

By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife.

At

The relations of source, occasion, reason, consequence, or effect; as, at the sight; at this news; merry at anything; at this declaration; at his command; to demand, require, receive, deserve, endure at your hands.

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.

At

Relation of direction toward an object or end; as, look at it; to point at one; to aim at a mark; to throw, strike, shoot, wink, mock, laugh at any one.

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.

At

A highly unstable radioactive element (the heaviest of the halogen series); a decay product of uranium and thorium

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.

At

100 at equal 1 kip

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!

By

Per; with or in proportion to each.

His health was deteriorating by the day.

The pickers are paid by the bushel.

By

Indicates a referenced source: According to.

He cheated by his own admission.

By my reckoning, we should be nearly there.

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.

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.

By

At, with, among

Are you eating by Rabbi Fischer? (at the house of)

By Chabad, it's different. (with, among)

By

Along a path which runs past the speaker.

I watched as it passed by.

By

In the vicinity, near.

There was a shepherd close by.

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.

By

Aside, away.

The women spent much time after harvest putting jams by for winter and spring.

By

Out of the way, off to one side.

A by path, a by room

By

Subsidiary, incidental.

By catch, a by issue

By

Alternative spelling of bye.

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.

By

On; along; in traversing. Compare 5.

Long labors both by sea and land he bore.

By land, by water, they renew the charge.

By

Near to, while passing; hence, from one to the other side of; past; as, to go by a church.

By

Used in specifying adjacent dimensions; as, a cabin twenty feet by forty.

By

Against.

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.

By

Near; in the neighborhood; present; as, there was no person by at the time.

By

Passing near; going past; past; beyond; as, the procession has gone by; a bird flew by.

By

Aside; as, to lay by; to put by.

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.

By

So as to pass a given point;

Every hour a train goes past

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

Common Curiosities

Can "at" be used to indicate time?

Yes, "at" is commonly used to indicate specific times, such as "at 5 o'clock" or "at midnight."

How is "by" used to show a method?

"By" is used to indicate the means or method by which something is accomplished, e.g., "by car" or "by cooking."

Is "at" used for locations only?

While "at" is primarily used for specific locations, it can also indicate attendance, e.g., "at the concert."

What is the basic difference between "at" and "by"?

"At" is generally used to indicate a specific location or point in time, whereas "by" indicates the method or means through which something is done.

How does "at" function in expressions?

"At" is often used in fixed expressions, e.g., "at risk" or "at first sight."

How do "at" and "by" function in passive voice constructions?

In passive constructions, "by" identifies the agent performing the action, e.g., "The book was written by John."

What does "by" imply in the context of deadlines?

"By" is used to specify a deadline or the latest time by which something should be completed, e.g., "by tomorrow."

Can "by" indicate proximity?

Yes, "by" can also indicate nearness or proximity, e.g., "by the window."

Is there a scenario where "at" and "by" can be used interchangeably?

Generally, "at" and "by" are not interchangeable due to their different specific uses in indicating location, time, method, or agent.

Can "at" indicate a state or condition?

Yes, "at" can indicate a state, such as "at peace" or "at war."

What role does "by" play in expressions of measurement?

"By" is used to express measurements or dimensions, e.g., "a room 12 feet by 15 feet."

How is "by" used in authorship context?

"By" indicates the author or creator of a work, e.g., "a painting by Picasso."

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Author Spotlight

Written by

Urooj Arif

Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.

Edited by

Tayyaba Rehman

Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.