become
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to come, change, or grow to be (as specified).
He became tired.
-
to come into being.
verb (used with object)
-
to be attractive on; befit in appearance; look well on.
That gown becomes you.
-
to be suitable or necessary to the dignity, situation, or responsibility of.
conduct that becomes an officer.
idioms
verb
-
(copula) to come to be; develop or grow into
he became a monster
-
(foll by of; usually used in a question) to fall to or be the lot (of); happen (to)
what became of him?
-
(tr) (of clothes, etc) to enhance the appearance of (someone); suit
that dress becomes you
-
(tr) to be appropriate; befit
it ill becomes you to complain
Etymology
Origin of become
First recorded before 900; Middle English becumen, Old English becuman “to come about, happen”; cognate with Dutch bekomen, German bekommen, Gothic biqiman. See be-, come
Explanation
To become is to evolve, change into, or emerge as something. A fertilized egg will hatch and the tiny chick will become a full-grown chicken. When you become angrier and angrier watching the TV news, you begin to feel a certain way. Likewise, when Pinocchio the wooden puppet becomes a real boy in the fairy tale, he changes from toy to human. The word become can also mean "learn how to be" or "be qualified for," as when you dream that some day you'll become an astronaut. The Old English becuman has these meanings, and also "meet with" or "arrive."
Vocabulary lists containing become
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.
It’s become a common headache during the NBA playoffs this year: You sit down to watch the game but struggle to figure out where to tune in.
From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026
While not trying to become Labour leader herself, West had hoped to tempt others to launch a bid.
From BBC • May 11, 2026
“The $80,000 level has become a key psychological threshold, but what’s relevant isn’t just the price, but the flow structure,” wrote eToro analyst Javier Molina in a research note.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
We have since become a far more cultivated arts capital preparing for what we are dubbing the LA28 Cultural Olympiad.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
In the end we would often become impatient with him, and just tell him it was ‘for a blue reason.’
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
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.
