become

verb

be·​come bi-ˈkəm How to pronounce become (audio)
bē-
became bi-ˈkām How to pronounce become (audio)
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
Phrases
become of
: to happen to
wondering whatever became of old friends

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 Since then, the brothers’ relationship has become increasingly frosty. Rob Picheta, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 That then became an online education business that then became a speaking tour that then became a TV show on Bravo called Sell It Like Serhant. Degen Pener, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 Some of that is due to the general downturn in Silicon Valley, where it’s become difficult for start-ups to raise money because of higher interest rates and bigger tech companies slowing down their spending on software. Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The thousand-yard stare in her eyes is in danger of becoming permanent. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 The emergency rule that became effective Friday will be in place for 120 days, until lawmakers and state officials can settle on approving a permanent rule, a more cumbersome process that requires a public comment period. Michael R. Wickline, arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2024 In the weeks that followed, defensive line coach Eric Henderson left to become USC’s co-defensive coordinator and Morris was hired by the Falcons. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 What to Know Before Seeing Since her breakthrough role as Cassie on the HBO drama Euphoria, Sweeney has become one of Hollywood’s hottest names. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024 The film, starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the music legend, has become a surprise box office success with $82.7 million in North America and $146 million globally. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'become.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of become was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near become

Cite this Entry

“Become.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/become. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

become

verb
be·​come bi-ˈkəm How to pronounce become (audio)
became -ˈkām How to pronounce become (audio) ; 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

More from Merriam-Webster on become

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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