break into
Britishverb
-
to enter (a house, etc) illegally, esp by force
-
to change abruptly from a slower to a faster speed
the horse broke into a gallop
-
to consume (supplies held in reserve)
at the end of the exercise the soldiers had to break into their iron rations
-
Make a forcible entry into, as in The alarm went off as soon as they tried to break into the house . [1300s] Also see break in , def. 1.
-
Interrupt, as in I couldn't help but break into your conversation . [Mid-1600s]
-
Suddenly begin some activity, as in Without warning she broke into tears . Also see under burst into .
-
Enter or be admitted to an occupation or profession, as in Without connections it is virtually impossible to break into acting . [Late 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The same applied to Villa, with Steph Houghton saying they were the team most likely to break into the top four this time.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
Do you expect the removal of rote accounting work to make the profession more attractive to students, or harder to break into?
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
At the end of the book club, the women break into convivial chatter.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
A man arrested trying to break into the Israeli embassy in London, armed with two knives, put his "life on the line" trying to get to the UK, a jury has heard.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
Even then I wondered why anyone would ever want to break into our apartment.
From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
