look into

investigate something to find out the facts

B2

What does "look into sth" mean?

To look into something means to investigate it carefully and thoroughly — not just notice it or give it a quick glance, but actively dig deeper to find out what is happening or what went wrong. It is most commonly used when someone in a position of responsibility (a police officer, a manager, a journalist, an official) commits to examining a problem, complaint, or unclear situation in detail. The phrase carries a sense of genuine effort and open-ended inquiry, where the outcome isn't yet known. You'll hear it a lot in news reports ('police are looking into the incident'), customer service exchanges ('we'll look into it right away'), and professional settings where someone promises action. What sets it apart from similar phrases is the implied depth — looking into something suggests a real investigative process, not a casual consideration.

Examples

How to use it

look into + noun/noun phrase

The most common pattern — the object (a problem, matter, complaint, or situation) always comes after 'into', never between 'look' and 'into'.

The manager said she would look into the complaint before the end of the week.

look into + it/this/that

Pronouns follow 'into' just like nouns — this is especially common as a conversational promise to investigate.

I'm not sure why the payment failed, but I'll look into it and get back to you.

be looking into + noun/noun phrase

The present continuous is particularly common in news reports and official statements to describe an investigation that is currently underway.

Authorities are looking into the cause of the power outage that affected the whole city.

look into + the possibility/idea of + gerund

Used when investigating whether something is worth doing or feasible — the investigation is about an option, not a problem.

The company is looking into expanding its operations into Southeast Asia.

look into + question word clause

Used when the investigation aims to find out why, how, or what happened in a situation.

Investigators are looking into why the safety system failed to trigger an alert.

Common Collocations

look into the matterlook into a complaintlook into the causelook into the possibilitylook into itlook into the allegations

Common Mistakes

Using 'look at' instead of 'look into'

'Look at' suggests only a surface-level consideration or glance, while 'look into' implies a thorough, active investigation. If the situation requires real examination and effort, 'look into' is the right choice.

✗ The police looked at the allegations for several weeks.
✓ The police looked into the allegations for several weeks.
Trying to separate the verb and particle

'Look into' is inseparable — the object must always come after 'into'. You cannot place a noun or pronoun between 'look' and 'into'.

✗ Can you look the matter into?
✓ Can you look into the matter?
Avoiding the passive incorrectly

While 'the matter was looked into' is technically possible, it sounds awkward and overly bureaucratic. Native speakers almost always keep the active form and restructure the sentence instead.

✗ The complaint was looked into by the team.
✓ The team looked into the complaint.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both spoken and written English, from casual conversation ('I'll look into it') to news reports and official statements. It is equally common in British and American English.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'look into' always mean something serious, like a police investigation?

Not at all — it's used across a wide range of situations, from formal investigations to everyday promises. A colleague can look into why a meeting room is double-booked, or a customer service agent can look into a delayed delivery. The common thread is that a genuine effort to find out more is implied, whether the context is serious or routine.

Is 'We'll look into it' a real commitment or just a polite way of saying no?

It depends on context. In professional and customer service settings, it's a standard, genuine promise to investigate. However, in political or bureaucratic contexts, it can sometimes function as a vague, non-committal response — a way of acknowledging an issue without promising a specific outcome. Tone and follow-through usually tell you which it is.

What kinds of things can you 'look into'?

Typically issues, problems, complaints, allegations, incidents, or uncertain situations — anything that requires deeper examination. Common examples include looking into a complaint, a cause, a claim, the circumstances of something, or even a possibility. You wouldn't normally look into a physical object or a simple fact you can find in a dictionary — for those, 'look at' or 'look up' would be more natural.

Can I use 'look into' in formal or professional writing?

Yes — it's neutral in register and works well in both spoken and written English. It appears regularly in news articles, official statements, business emails, and reports. That said, in very formal written documents, some writers prefer 'investigate' or 'examine', but 'look into' is never out of place in professional contexts.

Is 'look into' more common in British or American English?

It's equally common in both. You'll hear and read it in British news broadcasts, American police dramas, international business communication, and everyday conversation on both sides of the Atlantic. There's no regional preference to worry about.

Related Phrasal Verbs

delve into sth
look through sth

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