becoming
Americanadjective
noun
-
any process of change.
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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
Derived 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.
McGinn spent day and night dreaming of becoming Celtic great Henrik Larsson on that red ash pitch.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
Avoid becoming overly attached to your current holdings simply because they have performed well historically.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
A predictable price would support bitcoin becoming a viable currency.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
He returned in 2019 aboard Soyuz MS-13 and served as commander of Expedition 61, becoming the first Italian and the third European to command the station.
From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026
But walking side by side behind him now, Mutti and I could see that his wheezing was becoming worse all the time.
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.
