Meaning & use
buy into
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To accept and support an idea, plan, or belief as true or worthwhile.
Grammar: No object: you buy into something, and the thing goes after 'into'.
Patterns
- buy into something
- buy into the idea of something
- fully buy into something
Most of the staff bought into the new schedule once they saw how much time it saved.
He never really bought into the idea that hard work alone brings success.
If the team doesn't buy into the plan, it will fail no matter how good it looks on paper.
verbintransitivebusinessfinance
To pay money to become a part owner of a business or to get a share of something.
Grammar: No object; the business or share follows 'into': buy into a company.
Patterns
- buy into a company
- buy into a business
- buy into a market
She bought into a small bakery and now runs the morning shift.
Foreign firms are buying into the local phone market.
He sold his flat to buy into his brother's restaurant.
verbintransitivedisapproving
To believe a story or claim that is probably false.
Grammar: No object; often used with a negative to say someone is not fooled.
Patterns
- buy into something
- buy into the hype
- not buy into something
Don't buy into the hype — the phone is barely better than last year's model.
I'm not buying into that excuse; the report was due on Friday.
A lot of people bought into the rumor before anyone checked the facts.
Common combinations
- buy into an idea
- The whole department bought into the idea of working from home two days a week.
- fully buy into something
- She fully bought into the company's values after her first year.
- buy into the hype
- Critics warned fans not to buy into the hype around the film.
- buy into a business
- He bought into a friend's software business in 2019.
- refuse to buy into something
- The union refused to buy into the pay deal.
Synonyms and how they differ
- accept
- Neutral and general; it names the act of agreeing, while 'buy into' stresses personal enthusiasm and commitment.
- embrace
- Stronger and more approving; it suggests you welcome an idea warmly, whereas 'buy into' can sound merely practical.
- invest in
- Use this for the money sense when you mean putting money in to gain a return; it is more formal than 'buy into'.
Opposites
Word family
- buy-in noun
- The support or agreement of a group for a plan; also money paid to join something.
- buyer noun
- A person who pays for goods or services.
Commonly confused: buy into or buy? buy into or believe in?
buy into vs buy
'Buy' takes a direct object (buy a car); 'buy into' needs 'into' and means accept an idea or take a share, not simply purchase.
buy into vs believe in
'Believe in' means trust or have faith in someone or something; 'buy into' is about accepting a specific plan or claim.
Practice
The managers were pleased that the whole team ______ the new safety rules.
Choose one answer.
'Bought into' means the team accepted and supported the rules. 'Bought' alone would mean they purchased something, which makes no sense with 'rules' here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “buy into”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.