become

verb

be·​come bi-ˈkəm 

bē-

became bi-ˈkām 

bē-

; become; becoming

intransitive verb

1

a

: to come into existence

b

: to come to be

become sick

They both became teachers.

2

: to undergo change or development

The pain was becoming more intense.

transitive verb

: to be suitable to

seriousness becoming the occasion

especially : to be becoming to

her clothes become her

see also:

become of

Synonyms of become

• grow
• get
• go
• come
• turn

Examples of become in a Sentence

Although I've known him for years, we didn't become close friends until recently.

She won the election, becoming the first woman to be President of the nation.

The book has become quite popular.

We became interested in the property last year.

The crackers had become stale.

It eventually became clear that he had lied.

This kind of behavior hardly becomes a person of your age and position.

Recent Examples on the Web

The senior House Democrat became a kingmaker for Biden by giving him momentum heading into Super Tuesday after Biden’s poor showing in the first three states. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Rådström became only the second woman to lead a company in the DAX 40 upon her appointment in 2024 and is one of only 43 women CEOs in the Fortune 500 Europe. — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2026

That’s the kind of extreme weather that is becoming more frequent because of climate changes, Paulson says. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2026

Last November, Bass announced a pilot task force, which became permanent this summer, to investigate allegations of animal cruelty on Skid Row and train police officers to handle those situations as well as offer basic resources to pet owners. — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to come to, become, from Old English becuman, from be- + cuman to come

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing become

• be/become one's own man
• become of
• become unstuck
• destined to become a classic

Rhymes for become

• checksum
• humdrum
• income
• outcome
• pisum
• succumb
• therefrom
• wherefrom
• abomasum
• bum
• chum
• come

Kids Definition

become

verb

be·​come bi-ˈkəm 

became -ˈkām  ; become; becoming

1

: to come or grow to be

a tadpole becomes a frog

the days become shorter as summer ends

2

: to look well on : suit

her suit becomes her