Meaning trap

run into

hit or collide with

to accidentally hit or crash into something or someone while moving.

phrasal verbB1common

Don't mix these meanings

Same phrase, different job.

hit or collide with

to accidentally hit or crash into something or someone while moving.

run into (meet by chance)

Another meaning of 'run into' is 'meet by chance'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

Be careful not to run into the table when you walk past.daily life
On my way to work, I nearly ran into another car because the roads were so slippery after the rain.IELTS speaking

Pattern: run into + something/someone

WrongHe ran into with a tree.

RightHe ran into a tree.

'Run into' takes the object directly — no 'with'.

Patternrun into + something/someone

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff The vehicle collided with a lamppost.

Natural The car ran into a lamppost.

'Run into' is the everyday verb for crashing into something; 'collided with' is formal/report-like.

Words that usually travel with it.

'Run into' (collide) is different from 'run over', which means to drive over something or someone.

run into (meet by chance) — Another meaning of 'run into' is 'meet by chance'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.