become

verb be·come \ bi-ˈkəm , bē- \

Updated on: 14 May 2018

became play \-ˈkām\; 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

— become of

: to happen to

wondering whatever became of old friends

See become defined for English-language learners

See become defined for kids

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 of become from the Web

That practice is becoming increasingly common in higher education, Wilde and her colleague, James Finkelstein, a professor emeritus at George Mason, said.

— annie martin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "UCF president search came with $236K price tag," 11 May 2018
After the sale, WSFL could then become a Fox owned and operated affiliate, said Ed Ansin, owner of Sunbeam Television Corp., which owns WSVN.

— johnny diaz, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Could Fox network shows find a new home on Miami-Fort Lauderdale TV?," 11 May 2018
The drama was also magnified by the fact that raw milk was just becoming popular.

— daniel fernandez, Smithsonian, "The Surprisingly Intolerant History of Milk," 11 May 2018
Hall, who runs Arizonans for Charter School Accountability, said Basis could become the next Discovery Creemos Academy, the Goodyear charter that abruptly closed this year because of financial problems.

— craig harris, azcentral, "Has Basis used Arizona tax money to expand in Texas, Washington, D.C.?," 11 May 2018
That’s become reality for some Philly couples, but an outpouring of support has followed.

— ray boyd, Philly.com, "Open carry debate in Philly burbs, coming to the rescue for unlucky couples, Southwest pilots recall 'terror' in the sky | Morning Newsletter," 11 May 2018
Could the result be that real-life models and influencers become obsolete, or will their likenesses be frozen in time and replicated ad infinitum?

— emilia petrarca, The Cut, "Body Con Job," 11 May 2018
Former devotees routinely gripe on social media that the software has become too difficult to use.

— dina bass and nate lanxon, latimes.com, "Don't Skype me: How Microsoft turned users against its beloved video-chat program," 11 May 2018
The brain can change, but there's a possibility that the brain can become dysregulated.

— megan doherty, Chicago Reader, "ME myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome CFS Millions Missing Depaul University CDC," 10 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'become.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of become

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

become Synonyms

Synonyms

come, get, go, grow, run, turn, wax;

Near Antonyms

abide, be, continue, linger, remain, stay;

BECOME Defined for English Language Learners

become

verb

: to begin to be or come to be something specified : to begin to have a specified quality
: to look attractive on (someone) : to be flattering to (someone)
: to be suitable for (someone) : to be proper for (someone)

BECOME Defined for Kids

become

verb be·come \ bi-ˈkəm \

became \-ˈkām\; become; becoming

1 : to come or grow to be

He became president.

It's becoming cold.

A tadpole becomes a frog.

2 : to be suitable to especially in a pleasing way

Look for clothes that become you.

— become of

: to happen to

What has become of my friend?

Learn More about become

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for become Spanish Central: Translation of become Nglish: Translation of become for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of become for Arabic speakers

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