becoming 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈkə-miŋ How to pronounce becoming (audio)
Definition of becomingnext
as in suitable
meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation that's a particularly becoming dress for the dance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

becoming

2 of 2

verb

present participle of become
as in growing
to eventually have as a state or quality many people became sick with the flu with the arrival of autumn the days become crisper and breezier

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of becoming
Verb
Meanwhile, investigations into similar illnesses have been going on in 28 other states, including in Ohio, where people just across the Michigan border are also becoming sick. — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026 Volzke began her PhD on elephant seals in 2021, just as Neil was becoming widely known – so his growth, both in size and fame, feels like it’s tracked alongside her degree on his species. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 July 2026 With K-pop becoming more global, which has made TWICE global sensations, Jihyo is surprised by how many collaborations K-pop artists have had with Western artists. — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 And some have responded by seizing the female obsession with looks, already rooted in misogyny, and rebranding it with maximum toxicity—in other words, by becoming looksmaxxers. — Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026 Peters made it to third safely, becoming the seventh player in Chicago White Sox history to hit for the cycle. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 Ferrer ended up playing in Guns N’ Roses for 19 years, longer than Steven Adler and Matt Sorum combined, becoming the longest-serving drummer in the band’s history. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2026 Josh Bell homered from each side of the plate, becoming only the seventh Twins player to accomplish the feat. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 4 July 2026 So too would her chances of eventually becoming majority leader or eventually even Speaker of the House if the Democrats can regain control of the institution. — Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 4 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for becoming
  1. suitable
  2. growing
  3. appropriate
  4. getting
  5. fitting
  6. going
  7. proper
  8. coming
Adjective
  • The structures produced during the mission were experimental tissues rather than complete organs suitable for transplantation.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 11 July 2026
  • This leaves little scope for a winger of Garnacho’s type with Chelsea already moving for suitable wing backs in the summer transfer window.
    — Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of suitable
Verb
  • Carpenter & Zuckerman is taking on a growing role in environmental litigation in the region.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
  • In the show, her tumor is benign, but doctors discover potentially cancerous cells growing behind the mass.
    — Max Gao, Variety, 11 July 2026
Definition of growing
Adjective
  • That includes a bath with breed-appropriate shampoo, a blow-dry and brush-out, a haircut or trim based on breed and preference, nail clipping and filing, ear cleaning and eye area cleaning.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
  • Portfolio Integration And Manager Selection For investors who have done the liquidity assessment and concluded that private credit is appropriate for a portion of their portfolio, manager selection is the dominant variable.
    — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of appropriate
Verb
  • Swinging his hips, moaning into the mic and briefly getting promiscuous with a mic stand was the authenticity that the majority-millennial crowd expected.
    — Sophie Lindberg July 11, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026
  • The Dodgers have reason for optimism heading into the second half with three top pitchers getting closer to returning.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of getting
Adjective
  • Ending his life this way, in a desert tomb of family memories, would be tragically fitting, but John Sugar’s in town to facilitate a redemption arc.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • With its dynamic architecture and expansive interiors, the estate served as a fitting backdrop for the brand’s celebration of craftsmanship.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 9 July 2026
Definition of fitting
Verb
  • Acuff was held to three points after going 1 of 5 from the field and 1 of 4 from 3-point range in the opening period.
    — Jason Anderson July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • Instead of going home that night, Wilber found himself back in bed 23 of the detention center — his bond denied — trying to ignore a nasty odor permeating his 14-person cell.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of going
Adjective
  • Weist herself appears in a brief introductory clip before the performance proper.
    — Rhoda Feng, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • While the theme words will not be a proper name, the spangram can be a proper name.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of proper
Verb
  • Beyond California, scientists are raising alarms over the planet’s warming oceans, which — coupled with a strong El Niño — could increase temperatures for land dwellers in the coming weeks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Over the coming days, he is expected to meet with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss Russia's war.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 6 July 2026
Definition of coming

Browse Nearby Words

becomes
becoming
bed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Becoming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/becoming. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on becoming

Nglish: Translation of becoming for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of yaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All