become
/bɪˈkʌm/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: becomes · becoming · became
Sense 1
Meaning · English
begin to be; turn into (often with permanent states).
Verb
Examples
Near-synonyms: get, turn, go, come, fall, grow, wax
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To come about; happen; come into being; arise.
Verb
Examples
What became of him after he was let go?
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “become” mean?
begin to be; turn into (often with permanent states).
Is “become” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.