If you “gain insight into” something, it means you’re finding out information or looking into it. There are plenty of good formal options out there. This article will explore some good alternatives you can use to replace “gain insight into.”
Other ways to say “gain insight into” are “look into,” “acquire information,” and “get information.” These are the most common ways to show that you’re looking into a subject or trying to get more “insight.” They’re all very useful in a variety of contexts.
1. Look Into
“Look into” is a simple way of reusing the “into” preposition with a different verb choice. “Look into” implies that you are researching and exploring pieces of information to get to the bottom of it and come to specific insights.
It’s a great one to use in formal instances. It shows that you’re researching things to the best of your ability to come up with solutions or ways to work around the information you have so far.
- I’ll look into this information. I don’t think it’s wise for anyone else to step up. I have the best knowledge of this stuff.
- She’ll look into it and get back to us. I’m sure she’ll find something that works a bit better. We need to agree, after all.
- They told me they’d look into it to find out more about it. I hope they’re certain about this. I want things to go well.
2. Acquire Information
“Acquire information” is a great formal alternative you can use. It shows that you are looking for information from a specific source. You can “acquire” it by finding the pieces that apply to you.
It works like “gaining insight” because it gives you information that relates to something you’re looking into. It’s a great way to show that you’re spending time trying to figure out things about certain types of information.
- Trust me. You’ll be able to acquire information without them even noticing you. I believe you have the power to do that.
- I can acquire the information to help you. However, I do charge a small fee for my services. Do you mind paying for that?
- I will acquire information whenever I’m needed. Until then, I will sit back and see how this project unfolds.
3. Get Information
“Get information” is synonymous with “acquire information.” It’s slightly more informal because “get” is a more accessible word. It still implies that you are “getting” all the information you can from a situation before using it to your advantage.
The idea here is that the more information you have, the easier it is for you to manipulate it. The information should be ready to use and help you figure out your next steps, depending on what you needed it for in your context.
- I’m going to get the information to find out what’s happening here. I’m pretty sure things weren’t supposed to be this tricky.
- Why can’t you get the information sooner? Surely, you know where to go in the system to find it quicker than the others.
- I’ll tell you all about it when I get the information. I’m not sure what I’m looking for yet, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled.
4. Update Myself On
“Update myself on” shows that you want to keep yourself in the loop and keep updated on certain pieces of information. You can use “update myself on” to show that you’re doing whatever you can to get more insight into a situation.
The better you can “update yourself,” the better you’ll be at figuring out the information.
- I will update myself on these things to ensure I know what to say. I don’t want to be caught off guard.
- He will update himself on the findings to ensure the experiment was done correctly. He’ll get back to us when he’s done that.
- Can you not update yourself on this to help us understand it better? We’re not sure what you expect from us right now.
5. Keep Track Of
“Keep track of” works well in certain contexts. It works best if the information is constantly changing or moving around, and you want to “keep track” of it to learn more about it and what changes daily.
It’s a great way to show that you’re keeping yourself involved in the information-gathering process. If you think you need to stay on top of it, this phrase works well to highlight that.
- I’m trying to keep track of the information. Right now, it’s a lot harder than I’m willing to admit. I have to consider some stuff.
- Will you keep track of the information as it arrives? We need someone on the inside to ensure we get all the facts.
- She will keep track of it for us. It’ll be good for us to listen to her when she has all the information that pertains to this.
6. Consider
“Consider” is a great word to use in this case. It shows that you (or someone else) have been tasked with “considering” different variables and bits of information to work through something.
It’s a great way of showing that you’re looking for “insights” into things that might help you figure something else out.
- Consider all the information before you return it to us. We want to have everything loaded and ready before firing back at them.
- I will be able to consider more of this when I have all the details. I’m not sure how long it’ll take to get that, though.
- Can you consider the information for a while? I have a feeling you’ll understand it much better than I’ll be able to.
7. Learn About
“Learn about” shows that you’re putting time into something. The more time you put into “learning about” something, the more you should be able to gather from the information.
It’s a great way to show that you want to gain insight into something. The more you can learn, the more insight you should end up with.
- I need to learn about the protocols from someone on the inside. I’ll have to keep looking until I find someone to help.
- They want to learn about the things you’re doing. You’ve got to keep it under wraps because I don’t want it getting out.
- Can you learn about the way they conduct their business? We need to find new strategies that’ll work well for us.
8. Gather Information
“Gather information” is a great synonym you can use. “Gather” is synonymous with “get” here, showing that you’re spending time compiling information and getting insights to help you with something.
It’s a great way to show that you need information for a specific reason. The longer you spend gathering it, the more you’ll be able to learn from it.
- If you can gather the information, we can arrange it to work for the team. That’s all you have to do.
- I’m trying to gather the information, but I’m unsure if I have all the details. Do you want me to keep looking into it?
- She is gathering the information as we speak. We should have most of it laid out in front of us in a few short moments.
9. Scan
“Scan” can work well if you’re not spending much time looking for insights. “Scan” implies that you’re briefly looking over information or data to find brief insights into what’s going on. It’s a simple way to show that you don’t have much time to look for insights.
“Scan” doesn’t work in every situation. You should only use it when you’re not spending too long looking into a situation.
- I will scan over this information. I’m usually good at finding the things that stick out. I’ll report back when I’ve found it.
- Scan over this stuff to find out more about it. I’m entrusting you with all of this. Do not let me down again.
- I can give it a quick scan. I’ll check to see if there’s anything specific we might be able to run away with.
10. Look Over
“Look over” works well in most contexts. It shows that you would like someone to review information or look into some insights that might help you figure some things out. It’s a great way to show that you’re keen to learn more about something.
You can use “look over” when reviewing information in an informal setting. If you wanted a more formal alternative, “review” or “look into” would work best.
- If you could give this a look over, that would be great. I hope to come across something that will work well for us.
- Look over all the facts before you bring this back to me. If you don’t give me a full rundown, I won’t know how to handle the next phase.
- I need you to look over this information before giving it back to me. Do you think you’ll be able to do that?
Gain Insight Into or On?
You should always use “gain insight into.” “Into” is the only preposition that works when “gaining insight” into a specific field or subject.
“Gain insight on” is never grammatically correct. “On” is not an appropriate prepositional choice when you’re looking to get “insight” into something.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.