Commonly confused
Move in vs Move on
“Move in” and “Move on” look alike but pull in different directions. Here is what each one means, with examples — and the difference that learners most often miss.
The key difference
Move in means start living in a new home. Move on means change to a new topic, place or job.
move in
- 1
Start living in a new home
“They moved in last week.”
- 2
Approach in order to take action or attack
“Police moved in at dawn.”
- 3
Begin a romantic relationship by living together
“She moved in with her boyfriend.”
move on
- 1
Continue your life after a difficult event
“It's time to move on.”
- 2
Change to a new topic, place or job
“Let's move on to the next item.”
- 3
(of police) order people to leave a place
“Police moved the protesters on.”
Stop mixing them up
Sink In turns confusable pairs like this into quick contrast drills, so the right particle becomes automatic.