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.
After the 2008 financial crisis, a dearth of new home construction made affordability a significant challenge for many people trying to break into homeownership.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
The defender is a key player for her club but struggles to break into the England team with Bronze understandably a tough figure to displace.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Many of the loans came with credit ratings purchased from Egan-Jones Ratings, a small firm trying to break into the lucrative private-credit market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
“They didn’t even need to break into the strongroom,” Al-Abideen said bitterly, looking at a heavy metal door secured with multiple bolts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
I exit the inn, and I’m about to break into a run when I hear it.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
