From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbecomebe‧come /bɪˈkʌm/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense became /-ˈkeɪm/, past participle become) 1 [linking verb]BECOME to start to have a feeling or quality, or to start to develop into something The weather became warmer. Slowly my eyes became accustomed to the darkness. Helen became increasingly anxious about her husband’s strange behaviour. Pollution from cars has become a major problem.2 [linking verb]BECOME to start to have a job or position George became king at the age of 54. When did you first want to become a teacher?3 [transitive not in progressive] formalSUITABLE to be suitable for someone, or to look attractive on them SYN suit Blue really becomes her. Don’t try to be clever – it doesn’t become you.4 → what became of ... ? whatever will become of ... ?GRAMMAR: Linking verbsBecome is a linking verb. This type of verb links the subject of the sentence with an adjective or noun: It became more difficult.She hoped to become a lawyer.THESAURUSbecome to start to have a feeling or quality, or to start to develop into somethingHis parents became worried when he was late home from school.Violent crime is becoming a major problem.She became more confident when she joined a drama group.get to start to have a feeling or quality. Get is less formal than become and is much more commonly used in everyday EnglishI was getting very tired.Make sure you’re home before it gets dark.go to become something – used about things becoming a different colour, or things or people becoming worse in some wayHer hair was going grey.He went blind.I think I’m going mad.turn to become something – used about things becoming a different colour, or the weather or people’s behaviour changingThe water had turned bright green.The weather is expected to turn cold again.He suddenly turned nasty.grow especially written to gradually become somethingPeople were growing impatient.The rich grew richer.come undone/loose/apart to become undone, loose, or separated into piecesThe screws had come loose.change into something to become something completely differentThe caterpillar changed into a beautiful butterfly. → See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
become• Their world became a blinding wall of white, howling towards them, too fast for thought or action.• My friend Kyle stayed with the company and became a departmental manager.• Every time you open the newspaper these days someone else has just become a millionaire.• Even when I was a kid, I wanted to become a psychologist.• Since winning all that money he's become a very unpleasant person.• After a while my eyes became accustomed to the dark.• The main point is that the clash procedure becomes an end in itself.• By this time he had become an enduring institution.• She started to become anxious about her son.• Slowly she became aware that there was someone else in the room.• Bradley went on to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.• It soon became clear that the fire was out of control.• Mobile phones have now become fashion accessories for schoolkids and teenagers.• It is becoming harder to find decent housing in the city.• Baker became head coach.• Many people, who had once been middle-class, who had once had dignity, became irrational.• These kinds of partnerships are becoming more common.• Julian's book was a big success and he quickly became rich and famous.• Somehow they manage to become smaller than life.• Swindon became the end of the line for east bound Inter City trains.• After the death of her father, she became the richest woman in the world.• The weather is becoming warmer.• I don't think that outfit really becomes you, Sheryl.Origin become Old English becuman “to come to, become”, from cuman “to come” 