break into
Britishverb
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to enter (a house, etc) illegally, esp by force
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to change abruptly from a slower to a faster speed
the horse broke into a gallop
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to consume (supplies held in reserve)
at the end of the exercise the soldiers had to break into their iron rations
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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.
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Interrupt, as in I couldn't help but break into your conversation . [Mid-1600s]
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Suddenly begin some activity, as in Without warning she broke into tears . Also see under burst into .
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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 laser pulses caused the molecules to break into charged fragments.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
Both the US firms had to temporarily withhold the general release of these latest technologies because of fears in Washington that they could help break into crucial infrastructure.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
In recent years, U.S. officials have reported what they called China-linked attempts to break into U.S. broadband networks, access private communications and recruit operatives in the U.S. to act surreptitiously on Beijing’s behalf.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
In June last year, a Chinese woman in her 30s was arrested in Seoul trying to break into Jungkook's home just hours after he completed military service.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
A monkey literally went out of its way to break into Autumn’s basement and steal Grandma’s dashiki—another L, packaged and hand-delivered straight to me with same-day shipping.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
