walk into
HighInformal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To move on foot into a space, location, or object; often implying entering without full awareness or as a result of being inattentive.
To enter into a situation, especially one that is problematic, embarrassing, or dangerous, often through carelessness or naivety; to unintentionally cause or encounter something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Most commonly used as a phrasal verb. The meaning ranges from the literal act of walking into a physical space to a wide range of figurative and idiomatic uses related to encountering situations, often negative ones, by accident or through lack of foresight.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. Both use the literal and metaphorical senses equally.
Connotations
The metaphorical use ('to walk into a trap') is slightly more idiomatic and vivid in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both dialects. The figurative sense is extremely common.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SUBJ + walk into + OBJ (place/thing)SUBJ + walk into + OBJ (situation)SUBJ + walk right into + OBJVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “walk into a trap”
- “walk right into it”
- “walk into a lion's den”
- “walk into one's arms”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'He walked into a well-paid job straight after uni.' (Figurative: to obtain easily)
Academic
The study explores how subjects unwittingly walk into cognitive biases during the experiment.
Everyday
'I was so distracted I almost walked into a lamppost.'
Technical
In robotics, pathfinding algorithms must ensure the unit does not walk into obstacles.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Mind you don't walk into that wet paint.
- She walked into a brilliant role at the BBC.
- You've just walked into my carefully laid plan.
American English
- Don't walk into the street without looking.
- He walked into a high-paying tech job.
- The suspect walked right into the police stakeout.
adverb
British English
- N/A – 'walk into' does not function as an adverb.
American English
- N/A – 'walk into' does not function as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- N/A – 'walk-into' is not standardly used as an adjective.
American English
- N/A – 'walk-into' is not standardly used as an adjective.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I walked into the kitchen.
- He walked into the classroom.
- She walked into a tree.
- Be careful not to walk into the glass door.
- I can't believe I walked into that obvious lie!
- He walked into a good job after his internship.
- The politician walked into a barrage of difficult questions from the press.
- By trusting him, she unwittingly walked into a complex web of deceit.
- You can't just walk into a managerial position without experience.
- The undercover agent walked into the meeting, fully aware it might be an ambush.
- Their naive policy proposals meant they walked straight into a political minefield.
- The company walked into the merger without adequate due diligence, with disastrous consequences.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine WALKING INTO a glass door because you weren't looking. It's physical and metaphorical for an unplanned, often clumsy, encounter.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY / SITUATIONS ARE LOCATIONS. ('Walking into trouble' maps physical movement in space to entering a negative abstract condition.)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate word-for-word as 'ходить в' for figurative uses. Russian often uses 'попасть в (ситуацию)' or 'вляпаться'.
- For 'walk into a job', use 'получить работу легко', not a literal walking motion.
- Beware of false friend 'входить' – it's only for the literal 'enter', not for encountering problems.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'walk in' instead of 'walk into' for directed movement (He walked in the room.* / He walked into the room.✓)
- Overusing the literal translation from languages that use a simple 'in' preposition.
- Confusing 'walk into' (usually directed, with object) with 'walk in' (often general, no object or as noun).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'walk into' used in a PURELY literal sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Walk in' often means to enter in a general way or is used as a noun ('a walk-in closet'). 'Walk into' specifies movement *entering and being inside* a specific place or, figuratively, a situation. 'Walk into' requires an object.
Yes, though less common. For example, 'walk into a job' or 'walk into a fortune' means to obtain something good very easily, often surprisingly so.
No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot say 'walk it into'. The object always comes after 'into'.
Context. If the object is a physical location or thing (a room, a wall), it's literal. If the object is an abstract situation or condition (trouble, an argument, a job), it's figurative.