becoming

American  

[bih-kuhm-ing] / bɪˈkʌm ɪŋ /

adjective

1. that suits or gives a pleasing effect or attractive appearance, as to a person or thing.

   a becoming dress; a becoming hairdo.

   Synonyms:

   comely

2. suitable; appropriate; proper.

   a becoming sentiment.

   Synonyms:

   fitting, seemly, congruous, decorous, right, apt, fit, meet

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noun

1. any process of change.

2. Aristotelianism. any change involving realization of potentialities, as a movement from the lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality.

becoming British  

/ bɪˈkʌmɪŋ /

adjective

1. suitable; appropriate

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noun

1. any process of change

2. (in the philosophy of Aristotle) any change from the lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality

Other Word Forms

• becomingly
  adverb
• becomingness
  noun
• well-becoming
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of becoming

First recorded in 1555–65; become + -ing ¹, -ing ²

Explanation

Something that's becoming is charming, or looks good. It's a compliment — or a sales tactic — if a salesperson gushes, "That dress is so becoming on you!" Clothing that's becoming is well-suited to the person wearing it, flattering him and making him look great. You can also use the adjective to mean "appropriate," as when a stern kindergarten teacher scolds, "That behavior is not becoming, boys." In the 13th century, something becoming was "fitting," and by the 1560s it also meant "looking good." The opposite of becoming is unbecoming.

Example Sentences

Becoming the No. 1 LNG exporter in the world in relative short order is thanks in large part to U.S. shale production that went into overdrive in the mid-2000s.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

Becoming an AI-chip powerhouse is still no simple matter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

On TikTok, the "Becoming Chinese" trend has seen overseas users brewing herbal infusions, drinking hot water or practising traditional physical exercises, garnering hundreds of thousands of likes.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Becoming hard to score against was another of those non-negotiables that the Scotland boys mentioned.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Becoming is never giving up on the idea that there’s more growing to be done.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama