become
Americanverb (used without object)
-
becomes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
became,
past
-
become,
past participle
-
becoming
present participle
-
to come, change, or grow to be (as specified).
He became tired.
-
to come into being.
verb (used with object)
-
becomes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
became,
past
-
become,
past participle
-
becoming
present participle
-
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
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(foll by of; usually used in a question) to fall to or be the lot (of); happen (to)
what became of him?
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(tr) (of clothes, etc) to enhance the appearance of (someone); suit
that dress becomes you
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(tr) to be appropriate; befit
it ill becomes you to complain
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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becomesimple
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becomessimple
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have becomeperfect
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has becomeperfect
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am becomingprogressive
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are becomingprogressive
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is becomingprogressive
-
have been becomingperfect progressive
-
has been becomingperfect progressive
Past
-
becamesimple
-
had becomeperfect
-
was becomingprogressive
-
were becomingprogressive
-
had been becomingperfect progressive
Future
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.
See Examples For:
A unification fight against Dubois in 2027 could provide the opportunity to become a much bigger name in the sport.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
He hopes more work can be carried out at Astonbury Wood to restore the ponds and prevent them drying out completely, as summers "become increasingly hot and dry".
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
“Threats, fear-mongering, and violence against public servants have become far too common over the past decade and undermine our democracy,” Panetta said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Shorter studies or analyses that combine measurements from widely different environments may miss gradual changes that only become apparent after years of observation.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
The upshot is that between the operation and the uncontrolled eating Fred has become enormously fat.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
But because not everyone in the group plays each other, it may yet be that points difference becomes crucial.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
"If obtaining permanent residency becomes difficult, people will see less benefit in staying in Japan for the long term," he said, adding that the weak yen and low wages may also push people away.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
Although Antarctica's geography allows winter sea ice to expand over enormous distances, it also pushes the ice into warmer latitudes, where melting becomes more likely during summer.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
By this point Stallo is a bitter ex-soldier, and Maur becomes a kind of medium.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
She finds work as a secretary to a vice president at a big bank, then becomes a librarian at an engineering company, where she is paid a decent salary for the first time.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Jo became his wife and they now live in the city suburbs with three young children.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026
A 50-person citizen fire brigade became famous during the Palisades fires, and now volunteers are applying by the hundreds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
He became the first quarterback in NFL history with rushing touchdowns in each of the first five games of a season during a 37-34 win against the Rams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
Even before her downfall, Holmes drew the media’s attention with her wide, unblinking eyes, bold red lip, deep voice and stilted speech — all of which became parody-ready upon her indictment.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
She paused, and her face became shadowed as she remembered.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
She was hired by Saks after college and spent 12 years in various buying and planning roles, ultimately becoming a vice president in the men’s sportswear division.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
By Friday morning, it became clear the Bryson fire was not on the verge of becoming another Woolsey or Palisades fire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Rather than simply providing support for healthy nerve function throughout life, these cells appear capable of becoming dysfunctional and contributing to cognitive problems.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
For Microsoft shareholders, three measures will help show whether those potential savings are becoming financial gains.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Therefore, she was at risk of becoming boring too.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
