becoming
Americanadjective
noun
-
any process of change.
-
Aristotelianism. any change involving realization of potentialities, as a movement from the lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality.
adjective
noun
-
any process of change
-
(in the philosophy of Aristotle) any change from the lower level of potentiality to the higher level of actuality
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of becoming
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.
Vocabulary lists containing becoming
The Catcher in the Rye
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Murder on the Orient Express
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That conviction has driven Markus to experiment with a number of different open models, including powerful new models from China, which help prevent AT&T from becoming “beholden to any one solution,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
British summers are getting hotter and drier as the climate changes and heatwaves like this one are becoming more frequent.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Artificial intelligence is becoming an essential part of Spotify’s business.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
“The days when a senior could reasonably assume that the same plan, benefits and network would be there the following year are becoming less certain.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
By this time a teenager, Ona had moved from performing household duties to becoming Lady Washington’s personal attendant.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
