Definition of 'into'

Word Frequency

into

(ɪntuː)

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

Video: pronunciation of
into

into in British English

(ˈɪntuː, unstressed ˈɪntə)

preposition

to the interior or inner parts of

to look into a case

to the middle or midst of so as to be surrounded by

into the water

into the bushes

against; up against

he drove into a wall

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

Word Frequency

into in American English

(ˈɪntu; ˈɪntʊ; ˈɪntə; ɪnˈtu)

preposition

from the outside to the inside of; to the midst or depths of

walked into the house, jumped into the lake

advancing or continuing to the midst of (a period of time)

dancing far into the night

to the form, substance, or condition of

turned into a swan, divided into parts

so as to strike; against

to bump into a door

to the work or activity of

to go into teaching

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

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…

He knew how to get back into things straightaway.Unless they flower into something of their own accord.Find a new way into these things.Rich floral embellishment transformed simple lines into something special.It helps them turn snapshots into something out of the glossy pages of a lifestyle magazine.Fixed ideas about what makes a good relationship can be changed into something wonderful.As soon as we got into running, we wanted to run marathons.There's more value put into things now.It offered 100 compensation and is looking into why things went wrong.But it's turned into one more thing for parents to feel guilty about.