Break into means to force your way into a place by breaking a lock, window or other barrier — a house, an office, a car — or to break through the security of a computer system. The second meaning is to finally succeed in entering a field that's hard to get into: a profession, an industry, a new market.
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break into + building/car/system; break into + industry/market
- Someone broke into our neighbour's garage last night and stole two bikes.
- She's been trying to break into the fashion industry for years.
- After months of auditions, he finally broke into professional theatre.
What changed
First versionSomeone broke in the house while we were on holiday.
RevisionSomeone broke into the house while we were on holiday.
Break in is used without an object: Thieves broke in through the window. As soon as you name the place that was broken into — a house, an office, a car — you need into: broke into the house.
Break into a house is about force and breaking the law. Break into an industry is about a long path with no force involved at all: someone finally establishes themselves somewhere that's hard to get into. It took her three years to break into journalism.
Your turn
Thieves ___ the office overnight and took two laptops.
Show the answer
broke into — Right after the gap comes the office — the place that was broken into — so broke into is needed. Broke in is missing the into that connects the verb to that place.
Write about a break-in, or about someone who broke into a new profession or industry. Name the place or field.
My friend finally broke into the games industry after two years of making small games in her free time.
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