become

verb

bi-ˈkəm How to pronounce become (audio)
Definition of becomenext
as in to grow
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

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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 become Tribes whose historic homelands fall within the forest became leading voices in the effort to halt logging, with the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ Priscilla Hunter emerging as a major force. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 The two became friends, lovers, and neighbors on East 19th Street. — Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026 The problem is that the action becomes so relentless, so explicitly gory, that a bad aftertaste sets in. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 As military platforms become more dependent on electronics, having enough onboard electrical power is becoming increasingly important. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for become
Recent Examples of Synonyms for become
  1. grow
  2. get
  3. go
  4. come
  5. turn
Verb
  • As the affiliate industry grows, particularly for fashion brands and beauty brands which increasingly route a growing share of sales through such links, the answer is getting harder to parse.
    — Tom Matsuda, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • According to the memo, Google's electric demand is expected to grow faster than Entergy can add new electricity generation.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of grow
Verb
  • When the earnings release first hit the tape, the stock initially moved higher by a couple of percentage points, only to reverse course before the conference call even got underway.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But then Sandy stops by for a friendly chat, and his daughter Nina (Zosia Mamet, ice-cold and slightly underused) gets serious.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • Even near the end of an August in which the Jays went 17-11, the team posted a near-average wRC+ (101 entering Sunday).
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In fact, the breakeven rate of employment growth, or the number of net new jobs needed each month to keep the unemployment rate steady, actually went slightly negative during the summer and fall of 2025.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of go
Verb
  • And with players in major European leagues still able to depart their clubs beyond the deadline, there is potential for big deals to still be done in the coming days.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The big hits didn’t come all night for the Sox in a 6-3 loss in front of 21,236 at Daikin Park.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of come
Verb
  • After successful demonstration in ground and airborne trials, the company turned its attention to a GravNav, a system that senses changes in gravity fields.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There’s no better time to start turning your closet over for the season ahead.
    — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of turn

Browse Nearby Words

beclouds
become
becomes
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Cite this Entry

“Become.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/become. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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