The terms burglary and breaking and entering are often used interchangeably. They are not the same thing, though. Breaking and entering describes unauthorized entry into a space, full stop. Trespassing that involves force could be considered breaking and entering.It’s easiest to differentiate between these two terms by assessing the phrase breaking and entering. Breaking requires force. A person who has broken into a space may have kicked down a door, picked the lock or pushed open an already-ajar door. Either way, physical action taken against an obstacle is considered breaking.Note, too, that not all breaking is physical. There is also constructive breaking. This kind of breaking involves the use of blackmail, fraud, or manipulation to enter a space into which the defendant is not permitted.Entering, comparatively, has a straightforward definition. To enter a place, a person has to cross a threshold, be it through a window or through a door. This does mean, however, that even putting a hand over a visible threshold can count as entry into an unauthorized space.