became

became — verb

1. the past simple form of 'become' — used to say that a person or thing started to

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA1
Definition

the past simple form of 'become' — used to say that a person or thing started to have a particular quality, job, or state at a specific moment in the past

Example

Joshua became a teacher after graduating from high school.

became + noun (profession)

The sky became dark very quickly, so they turned on the lights.

became + adjective (change of visible state)

Common collocations
  • became a [profession/noun]
  • became [adjective]
  • became known as
  • became clear that
  • became aware of
Synonyms
  • turned into

    emphasises a visible or physical transformation rather than a change of role or state

  • grew to be

    suggests a gradual change over time rather than a sudden shift

Grammar Patterns

became + adjective

became + noun

became + known as / clear that

Usage Note

This is the past simple form of 'become'. Use it for completed actions or states in the past. For the full conjugation (present become, present participle becoming, past participle become) and additional meanings (e.g. 'become of' or 'become someone'), see the entry for 'become'.

Common Mistakes

She became to like the new city.
She began to like the new city.
'became' is never followed by 'to + infinitive'; use 'began to' for the start of an action.
I have became a manager.
I have become a manager.
The past participle of 'become' is 'become', not 'became'. 'Became' is only used for the simple past tense.