Dictionary

become en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /bəˈkʌm/ (Southern-England)
• /bɪˈkʌm/ (Southern-England)
• /ˈbɪk.əm/ (South-Asia)
• /bəˈkʌm/ (US)
• /biˈkʌm/ (US)
• (California) audio
• /bəˈkʊm/ (Northern-England)
• /bɪˈkʊm/ (Northern-England)
• /bɪˈkʌm/ (US)

Etymology

A compound of the sources of be- + come. From Middle English becomen, bicumen, from Old English becuman (“to come (to), approach, arrive, enter, meet with, fall in with; happen, befall; befit”), from Proto-Germanic *bikwemaną (“to come around, come about, come across, come by”), equivalent to be- (“about, around”) + come. Cognate with Scots becum (“to come, arrive, reach a destination”), North Frisian bekommen, bykommen (“to come by, obtain, receive”), West Frisian bikomme (“to come by, obtain, receive”), Dutch bekomen (“to come by, obtain, receive”), German bekommen (“to get, receive, obtain”), Swedish bekomma (“to receive, concern”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 (biqiman, “to come upon one, befall”). Sense of "befit, suit" due to influence from Middle English cweme, icweme, see queem. Displaced Old English weorþan.

Meanings

1. (copulative, followed by an adjective or a noun) begin to be; turn into (often with permanent states).
   • The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
   • The sense ‘state or process of bearing fruit’ has become imposed on fruition as the 20c. proceeded.
   • The full extent of my injuries did not become evident until they tried to move me.
   • Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close (less than half a meter) above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them. 2013 May-June, William E. Conner, “An Acoustic Arms Race”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, pages 206–7:
   • Then, as the Sunderland fans' cheers bellowed around the stadium, United's title bid was over when it became apparent City had pinched a last-gasp winner to seal their first title in 44 years. 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:
   • Near-synonyms: get, turn, go, come, fall, grow, wax
   • The weather will become cold after the sun goes down.
   • She became a doctor when she was 25.
2. (intransitive, qualifier:archaic other than in become of) To come about; happen; come into being; arise.
   • It hath becomen so that many a man had to sterve.
   • What became of him after he was let go?
   • And Time went forth into the worlds to obey the commands of the gods, yet he cast furtive glances at his masters, and the gods distrusted Time because he had known the worlds or ever the gods became. 1906, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], Time and the Gods, London: William Heineman, →OCLC, page 3:
3. (transitive) To be appropriate for.
   • 1892, Ambrose Bierce, “The Applicant,” in The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume II: In the Midst of Life (Tales of Soldiers and Civilians), New York: Gordian Press, 1966, He was hatted, booted, overcoated, and umbrellaed, as became a person who was about to expose himself to the night and the storm on an errand of charity […]
   • His ordination[…]enabled him to be independent of his parents, and to afford a manner of living which became his rank rather than his calling. 1930, Duff Cooper, Talleyrand, Folio Society, published 2010, page 7:
   • It doesn’t become a true gentleman to speak in such a manner.
   • Ay, lord, she will become thy bed, I warrant, And bring thee forth brave brood. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
4. (transitive) Of an adornment, piece of clothing etc.: to look attractive on (someone).
   • That dress really becomes you.
5. (intransitive, obsolete) To arrive, come (to a place).
   • But, madam, where is Warwick then become? c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
   • & thenne the noble knyghte sire Launcelot departed with ryghte heuy chere sodenly / that none erthely creature wyste of hym / nor where he was become / but sir Bors 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter II, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVIII:
6. (qualifier:non-native speakers' English) To get, receive.
   • @edmundmcmillen You litte F**ker You made a shit of piece with your trash Issac it’s f**King Bad this trash game I will become back my money I hope you will in your next time a cow on a trash farm you sucker^([sic]) 2021 May 12, @DkdWerbung, Twitter (post), archived from the original on 12 May 2021:
   • The "Buddy Mode" is an option you can use if you are playing against a friend on your computer. Then both human players become help by another, randomly choosed computer controlled wrestler.^([sic]) 1997 February 12, Mathias van Gemmern, “WWF95/BuddyMode”, in bit.listserv.games-l (Usenet), via Google Groups, archived from the original on 24 Apr 2026:
   • Hallo, this is my favorite URL. You can surfing and become cash.^([sic]) 2000 January 30, Theresa <theresa_online@hotmail.com>, “Check URL and become money”, in microsoft.public.access.3rdpartyusrgrp (Usenet), via Google Groups, archived from the original on 24 Apr 2026:
   • Most US people who spank their kids, lost their children. Social workers take your children away and it is very difficult to become back your own children. 2002 July 24, Joop Hermans, “Bill is back in 1940”, in alt.parenting.spanking (Usenet), via Google Groups, archived from the original on 24 Apr 2026:

Forms

Deriveds

become the Joker · rebecome · becomer · unbecome · become one with one's inner self · become one flesh · misbecome · disbecome · becomeness · become of

Synonyms

get · come · go · grow · fall · beseem · turn · suit · befit · wax

Translations (195)

am መሆን (to begin to be) · lad azerse (to begin to be) · km ទៅជា (to begin to be) · crh bolmaq (to begin to be) · eu bilakatu (to begin to be) · crh olmaq (to begin to be) · cs stávat se (to begin to be) · kk болу (to begin to be) · it diventare (to begin to be) · arz بقو (to begin to be) · be станаві́цца (to begin to be) · hy սազել (to be appropriate for) · bg прили́чам (to be appropriate for) · tpi kamap (to begin to be) · bg ста́вам (to begin to be) · sco becum (to begin to be) · mt sar (to begin to be) · ur بَنْنا (to begin to be) · arz بقم (to begin to be) · he הָפַךְ (to begin to be) · vi trở nên (to begin to be) · ru станови́ться (to begin to be) · tr olmak (to begin to be) · ltg palikt (to begin to be) · da passe godt (to be appropriate for) · ro deveni (to begin to be) · hu lesz (to begin to be) · eo konvenas (to be appropriate for) · pt tornar-se (to begin to be) · az olmaq (to begin to be) · ga éirigh (to begin to be) · hy դառնալ (to begin to be) · eo estiĝi (to begin to be) · cmn 成 (to begin to be) · mi whanatu (to begin to be) · ug بولماق (to begin to be) · nb kle (to be appropriate for) · prs شُدَن (to begin to be) · fr devenir (to begin to be) · es quedar (to begin to be) · hi बनना (to begin to be) · mi haere (to begin to be) · sv bli (to begin to be) · ja 成る (to begin to be) · pt transformar-se em (to begin to be) · ar أَصْبَحَ (to begin to be) · grc γίνομαι (to begin to be) · nb bli (to begin to be) · xqa بُلْماقْ (to begin to be) · es quedar bien (to be appropriate for) · es llegar/pasar a ser (to begin to be) · es hacerse (to begin to be) · frr wurd (to begin to be) · km ក្លាយ (to begin to be) · bqi اویدن (to begin to be) · bg ста́на (to begin to be) · sh по̀стати (to begin to be) · lt tapti (to begin to be) · lad fazerse (to begin to be) · sl postati (to begin to be) · el γίνομαι (to begin to be) · vo vedön (to begin to be) · ar صَارَ (to begin to be) · frr wür (to begin to be) · fy wurde (to begin to be) · fa-ira شُدَن (to begin to be) · es devenir (to begin to be) · pt devir (to begin to be) · ms semakin (to begin to be) · sk stať sa (to begin to be) · sv passa (to be appropriate for) · sah буол (to begin to be) · nl worden (to begin to be) · ru прили́чествовать (to be appropriate for) · lv tikt (to begin to be) · mk станува (to begin to be) · pl zostać (to begin to be) · ltg atsarast (to begin to be) · yi ווערן (to begin to be) · be стаць (to begin to be) · ia devenir (to begin to be) · bg подхо́ждам (to be appropriate for) · et muutuma (to begin to be) · cy mynd (to begin to be) · njo-jgl aküm (to begin to be) · mk стане (to begin to be) · tk bolmak (to begin to be) · kaw dadi (to begin to be) · bg слу́ча се (to begin to be) · ru идти́ (to be appropriate for) · pt cair bem em (to be appropriate for) · de stehen (to be appropriate for) · az yaraşmaq (to be appropriate for) · hu illik (to be appropriate for) · eu bihurtu (to begin to be) · tg шудан (to begin to be) · lad devenir (to begin to be) · ky болуу (to begin to be) · is verða (to begin to be) · grc πρέπω (to be appropriate for) · uk става́ти (to begin to be) · fi tulla (to begin to be) · frr wårde (to begin to be) · la exsisto (to begin to be) · ba булырға (to begin to be) · nn bli (to begin to be) · sco wirth (to begin to be) · ltg pasadareit (to begin to be) · tl magíng (to begin to be) · lv kļūt (to begin to be) · ru соотве́тствовать (to be appropriate for) · bg оти́вам (to be appropriate for) · uk ста́ти (to begin to be) · ltg tikt (to begin to be) · ja ...となる (to begin to be) · lo ກາຽ (to begin to be) · arz بقى (to begin to be) · hi हो जाना (to begin to be) · io divenar (to begin to be) · sk stávať sa (to begin to be) · chr ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏗᎭ (to begin to be) · aii ܦܵܝܹܫ (to begin to be) · grc ἔοικα (to be appropriate for) · dlm deventur (to begin to be) · ur ہو جانا (to begin to be) · cy dod (to begin to be) · fo blíva (to begin to be) · de werden (to begin to be) · ko -지다 (to begin to be) · ang weorþan (to begin to be) · mnc ᠣᠮᠪᡳ (to begin to be) · fr aller bien (to be appropriate for) · kok जांव्चे (to begin to be) · sh priličiti (to be appropriate for) · da blive (to begin to be) · vi trở thành (to begin to be) · grc ἱκνέομαι (to be appropriate for) · khb ᦂᦻ (to begin to be) · lv tapt (to begin to be) · cs stát se (to begin to be) · pl stać się (to begin to be) · arz بقت (to begin to be) · tr yakışmak (to be appropriate for) · ca esdevenir (to begin to be) · li waere (to begin to be) · sq bëhem (to begin to be) · ru стать (to begin to be) · ta ஆகு (to begin to be) · sjp صار (to begin to be) · ja 似合う (to be appropriate for) · ja ...になる (to begin to be) · ca escaure (to be appropriate for) · uz boʻlmoq (to begin to be) · otk 𐰉𐰆𐰞 (to begin to be) · ga fóir do (to begin to be) · ru подходи́ть (to be appropriate for) · eo ekesti (to begin to be) · ca passar (to begin to be) · la fiō (to begin to be) · et saama (to begin to be) · cu стати (to begin to be) · ota اولمق (to begin to be) · ko 되다 (to begin to be) · gd fàs (to begin to be) · fi pukea (to be appropriate for) · fo verða (to begin to be) · ofs wertha (to begin to be) · txb klutk- (to begin to be) · sv klä (to be appropriate for) · pl zostawać (to begin to be) · pt virar (to begin to be) · ko 어울리다 (to be appropriate for) · pl stawać się (to begin to be) · ru подоба́ть (to be appropriate for) · id menjadi (to begin to be) · bo ཆགས (to begin to be) · ne बन्नु (to begin to be) · mn болох (to begin to be) · pt ficar (to begin to be) · sh pòstati (to begin to be) · nn verta (to begin to be) · nv yileeh (to begin to be) · ru годи́ться (to be appropriate for) · mn ᠪᠣᠯᠬᠤ (to begin to be) · th กลาย (to begin to be) · es volverse (to begin to be) · ka გახდომა (to begin to be) · tt булырга (to begin to be) · cmn 成為 /成为 (to begin to be) · my ဖြစ် (to begin to be) · te అగు (to begin to be) · grc γίγνομαι (to begin to be) · eo iĝi (to begin to be) · bg слу́чвам се (to begin to be) · ms menjadi (to begin to be)