pronunciation note: Pronounced (ɪntuː) or (ɪntuː), particularly before pronouns and for meaning [sense 14].In addition to the uses shown below, into is used after some verbs and nouns in order to introduce extra information. Into is also used with verbs of movement, such as 'walk' and 'push', and in phrasal verbssuch as 'enter into' and 'talk into'.
1. preposition
If you put one thing into another, you put the first thing inside the second.
Combine the remaining ingredients and put them into a dish.
Until the 1980s almost all olives were packed into jars by hand.
2. preposition
If you go into a place or vehicle, you move from being outside it to being inside it.
I have no idea how he got into Iraq.
She got up and went into an inner office.
He got into bed and started to read.
3. preposition
If one thing goes into another, the first thing moves from the outside to the inside of the second thing,by breaking or damaging the surface of it.
Flavell had accidentally discharged a pistol, firing it into the ceiling.
The rider came off and the handlebar went into his neck.
4. preposition
If one thing gets into another, the first thing enters the second and becomes part of it.
Poisonous smoke had got into the water supply.
The money went into a common fund.
5. preposition
If you are walking or driving a vehicle and you bump into something or crash into something, you hit it accidentally.
A train plowed into the barrier at the end of the platform.
Joanna heard him bump into the table and curse again.
6. preposition
When you get into a piece of clothing, you put it on.
She could change into a different outfit in two minutes.
He put on his underwear and got into his suit.
7. preposition
If someone or something gets into a particular state, they start being in that state.
He had too much time on his hands and that caused him to get into trouble.
I slid into a depression.
...the group's plunge into financial crisis earlier in the year.
8. preposition
If you talk someone into doing something, you persuade them to do it.
Gerome tried to talk her into taking an apartment in Paris.
9. preposition
If something changes into something else, it then has a new form, shape, or nature.
...his attempt to turn a nasty episode into a joke.
...learning what she needs to know to grow into a competent adult.
...Irish fairytales that had been translated into English.
10. preposition
If something is cut or split into a number of pieces or sections, it is divided so that it becomes several smaller pieces or sections.
Sixteen teams are taking part, divided into four groups.
Roll out the pastry and cut into narrow strips.
Now if a great lake like Victoria were to dry up partially, it would be split intoa number of separate, smaller lakes.
11. preposition
An investigation into a subject or event is concerned with that subject or event.
The concert will raise funds for research into lung cancer.
We are beginning to have some insight into drug therapy.
12. preposition
If you move or go into a particular career or business, you start working in it.
In the early 1990s, it was easy to get into the rental business.
He closed down the business and went into politics.
13. preposition
If something continues into a period of time, it continues until after that period of time has begun.
He had three children, and lived on into his sixties.
The Open Golf Championship will be getting into its second day in a few hours.
14. preposition
If you are very interested in something and like it very much, you can say that you are into it.
[informal]
I'm into electronics myself.
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
into in British English
(ˈɪntuː, unstressed ˈɪntə)
preposition
1.
to the interior or inner parts of
to look into a case
2.
to the middle or midst of so as to be surrounded by
into the water
into the bushes
3.
against; up against
he drove into a wall
4.
used to indicate the result of a transformation or change
he changed into a monster
5. mathematics
used to indicate a dividend
three into six is two
6. informal
interested or enthusiastically involved in
I'm really into cinema these days
into in American English
(ˈɪntu; ˈɪntʊ; ˈɪntə; ɪnˈtu)
preposition
1.
from the outside to the inside of; to the midst or depths of
walked into the house, jumped into the lake
2.
advancing or continuing to the midst of (a period of time)
dancing far into the night
3.
to the form, substance, or condition of
turned into a swan, divided into parts
4.
so as to strike; against
to bump into a door
5.
to the work or activity of
to go into teaching
6.
in the direction of
heading into a storm
7. US, Informal
involved in, interested in, or concerned with
8. Arithmetic
considered as a divisor of
3 into 21 is 7
Word origin
ME < OE: see in1 & to1
Examples of 'into' in a sentence
into
He knew how to get back into things straightaway.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Unless they flower into something of their own accord.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Find a new way into these things.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Rich floral embellishment transformed simple lines into something special.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It helps them turn snapshots into something out of the glossy pages of a lifestyle magazine.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Fixed ideas about what makes a good relationship can be changed into something wonderful.
The Sun (2016)
As soon as we got into running, we wanted to run marathons.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
There's more value put into things now.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It offered 100 compensation and is looking into why things went wrong.
The Sun (2016)
But it's turned into one more thing for parents to feel guilty about.
The Sun (2016)
We have tried to turn a difficult day into something beautiful.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Things were moving into a minor key.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
That sort of thing is bred into a chap at any decent public school.
Len Deighton Bomber
Partizan crept into things and fashioned the best two chances of the first half.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
My role is to read and grind things down into understandable terms for others.
Christianity Today (2000)
It flared up into a ridiculous thing and he has not spoken to us since.
The Sun (2010)
But today they are thrown straight into things.
The Sun (2009)
But quite a few things are fitting into place.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They are going at it the wrong way - charging into things too quickly.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It's probably a hard thing to put into a film.
The Sun (2015)
It took the things we already knew about ourselves and projected them into something that at once felt wholly familiar and yet was new.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I want to put something back into this area.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It might have been a good idea initially but they didn't use it as a springboard into something else.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It can provide the impetus for change and give us the motivation and insight into things that are bothering us so that we can take action.
Westcott, Patsy Alternative Health Care for Women (1991)
When people put a lot of care and attention into making something, watching it streamed online is not the ideal way.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
At least I turned it into something good.
The Sun (2016)
A quiet conversation tonight could transform a so-so relationship into something wonderful.
The Sun (2008)
Then I got into doing banks.
Kennedy, Douglas In God's Country: travels in the Bible belt, USA. (1989)
You've got to look after that person and nurture it if it's going to grow into something great.
The Sun (2014)
In him, the many fabrics of American life seemed to have been woven into something genuinely new and colourful.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Cope, like all the best poets, has the ability to twist the mundane and workaday into something new and enchanting.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
So I got into investing.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
into
British English: into /ˈɪntuː; ˈɪntə/ PREPOSITION
put If you put one thing into another thing, you put the first thing inside the second thing.
Put the apples into a dish.
American English: into
Arabic: قِي
Brazilian Portuguese: em um
Chinese: 进入
Croatian: u
Czech: do
Danish: ind i
Dutch: in
European Spanish: en
Finnish: NO TRANSLATION
French: dans
German: hinein
Greek: μέσα σε
Italian: in
Japanese: ･･･の中へ
Korean: ...안으로
Norwegian: inn i
Polish: do o przestrzeni
European Portuguese: no
Romanian: în
Russian: в
Latin American Spanish: en
Swedish: in i
Thai: เข้าไปข้างใน
Turkish: içeri
Ukrainian: в
Vietnamese: vào trong
British English: into /ˈɪntuː; ˈɪntə/ PREPOSITION
go If you go into a place or a vehicle, you move from being outside it to being inside it.
He got into the car and started the engine.
American English: into
Arabic: في
Brazilian Portuguese: dentro
Chinese: 进入…里
Croatian: u
Czech: do
Danish: ind i
Dutch: in
European Spanish: en
Finnish: jhk t. jtak kohti
French: dansentrer dans
German: in
Greek: μέσα
Italian: in
Japanese: ･･･の中へ
Korean: ~안으로
Norwegian: inn
Polish: do środka
European Portuguese: para dentro de
Romanian: în
Russian: в
Latin American Spanish: en
Swedish: in i
Thai: เข้าไปใน
Turkish: içine
Ukrainian: в
Vietnamese: bên trong
All related terms of 'into'
go into
If you go into something, you describe or examine it fully or in detail .
blow into
to arrive in or enter (a room, etc) suddenly
book into
to reserve a room for (oneself or someone else) at (a hotel )
bump into
If you bump into someone you know , you meet them unexpectedly.
buy into
If you buy into a company or an organization, you buy part of it, often in order to gain some control of it.
come into
If someone comes into some money, some property, or a title, they inherit it.
dig into
to penetrate by or as by digging
dip into
to draw (upon)
drag into
To drag something or someone into an event or situation means to involve them in it when it is not necessary or not desirable .
draw into
drum into
If you drum something into someone, you keep saying it to them until they understand it or remember it.
eat into
If something eats into your time or your resources , it uses them, when they should be used for other things.
fall into
If you fall into conversation or a discussion with someone, usually someone you have just met , you start having a conversation or discussion with them.
fit into
If you fit into a particular group, you seem to belong there because you are similar to the other people in it.
fly into
If you fly into a bad temper or a panic , you suddenly become very angry or anxious and show this in your behaviour .
get into
If you get into a particular kind of work or activity, you manage to become involved in it.
grow into
When a child grows into an item of clothing , they become taller or bigger so that it fits them properly.
hoe into
to eat ( food ) heartily
hop into
to attack (a person)
lace into
to attack violently, either verbally or physically
lay into
To lay into someone or something means to start attacking or criticizing them.
let into
If you let someone into a secret, you allow them to know it.
look into
If a person or organization is looking into a possible course of action, a problem , or a situation , they are finding out about it and examining the facts relating to it.
move into
If you move into a new house , you start living there.
pack into
If someone packs a lot of something into a limited space or time, they fit a lot into it.
plug into
If you plug into a computer system, you are able to use it or see the information stored on it.
pour into
If you pour money or supplies into an activity or organization , or if it pours in , a lot of money or supplies are given in order to do the activity or help the organization.
pull into
When a vehicle or driver pulls into a place, the vehicle moves into the place and stops there.
read into
If you read a meaning into something, you think it is there although it may not actually be there.
rip into
If someone rips into you, they criticize you strongly.
run into
If you run into problems or difficulties , you unexpectedly begin to experience them.
see into
to examine or investigate
talk into
If you talk a person into doing something they do not want to do, especially something wrong or stupid , you persuade them to do it.
tear into
If you tear into someone, you criticize them very angrily and strongly.
tie into
to attack vigorously
tuck into
If someone tucks into a meal or tucks in , they start eating enthusiastically or hungrily.
walk into
If you walk into an unpleasant situation , you become involved in it without expecting to, especially because you have been careless .
A into G
arse into gear (esp in the phrase get your A into G )
break into
If someone breaks into a building , they get into it by force.
build into
to make (something) a definite part of (a contract , agreement, etc)
burst into
If you burst into tears , laughter , or song , you suddenly begin to cry , laugh , or sing .
enter into
If you enter into something such as an agreement , discussion , or relationship , you become involved in it. You can also say that two people enter into something.
launch into
If you launch into something such as a speech , task , or fight , you enthusiastically start it.
light into
to assail physically or verbally
marry into
to become a member of (a family) by marriage
pitch into
to assail physically or verbally
plough into
If something, for example a car , ploughs into something else, it goes out of control and crashes violently into it.
write into
If a rule or detail is written into a contract , law, or agreement , it is included in it when the contract, law, or agreement is made.
dissolve into
If you dissolve into or dissolve in tears or laughter , you begin to cry or laugh , because you cannot control yourself.
frighten into
If you frighten someone into doing something they would not normally do, you make them do it by making them afraid not to do it.