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fly into

B1 neutral transitive

To arrive at a destination by air; or to suddenly enter a strong emotional state.

In plain English

Arrive somewhere by plane; or suddenly become very angry or frightened.

What does "fly into" mean?

2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.

1 A2 neutral

To arrive at a city or airport by aircraft.

"We fly into Rome tomorrow and then take the train down to Naples."

2 B1 idiomatic neutral

To suddenly and uncontrollably enter an intense emotional state, especially rage or panic.

"My father flew into a rage when he found out I had crashed the car."

He flew into a rage and started shouting at everyone in the room.

— Common idiomatic expression used widely in literature and journalism

Literal vs figurative

Words literally mean

To fly into a place — to enter it from the air. Transparent in the travel sense.

Actually means

Arrive somewhere by plane; or suddenly become very angry or frightened.

Usage tip

The literal travel sense is very common and everyday. The idiomatic emotional sense is most often used with 'a rage,' 'a temper,' or 'a panic.' The emotional sense is particularly common in British English and in literary writing. Both senses are widely understood.

Words that pair with "fly into"

Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.

rage panic temper fury frenzy London New York

How to conjugate "fly into"

The five tense forms you'll use most often.

Base
fly into
I/you/we/they
3rd person
flies into
he/she/it
Past simple
flew into
yesterday
Past participle
flown into
have + pp
-ing form
flying into
continuous

Hear "fly into" in the wild

Listen to native speakers using "fly into" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.

Keep exploring

Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.