- present participle of become.
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.
He served as an MP for five years before becoming Conservative Party deputy chairman.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
With ketogenic diets becoming increasingly popular, the researchers say it will be important to understand these tissue-specific effects before drawing broad conclusions about their health consequences.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
Whether it be other equity indexes or even credit spreads — another barometer of investors’ risk appetite — America’s favorite index is becoming increasingly unmoored from these longstanding historical relationships, Garrett said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
With the population aging and people living longer, senior housing is becoming one of the hottest commercial property types.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Slipping into feathers and wings and becoming an owl was little different.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
