Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for break into. Search instead for Creep into.
Synonyms

break into

British  

verb

  1. to enter (a house, etc) illegally, esp by force

  2. to change abruptly from a slower to a faster speed

    the horse broke into a gallop

  3. to consume (supplies held in reserve)

    at the end of the exercise the soldiers had to break into their iron rations
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
break into Idioms  

  1. 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.

  2. Interrupt, as in I couldn't help but break into your conversation . [Mid-1600s]

  3. Suddenly begin some activity, as in Without warning she broke into tears . Also see under burst into .

  4. 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.

Beverly Habada, president of the condo association board, said in March that denizens of the encampment regularly break into the common laundry room she uses: “There’s probably somebody in there right now.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Valve's first shot at the hardware was released in 2015, but it failed to break into a market dominated by Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Among Chinese automakers, Geely may be the most well positioned to break into the U.S. market.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Sony isn’t the only tech company that tried to break into the electric vehicle market — Apple worked on an EV for more than 10 years before shutting down in 2024.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

“Next time we break into a girls’ bathroom, you’ll be right by our side,” she said.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

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.