How to pronounce become
Say it like bih-KUHM. Become has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KUHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce become. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- KUHM
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Become pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- KUHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "u" in cup.
American vs British pronunciation of become
American and British speakers say become in essentially the same way: /bɪˈkʌm/ in the US and /bɪˈkʌm/ in the UK.
British respelling: bih-KUHM.
What does become mean?
- enter or assume a certain state or condition“He became annoyed when he heard the bad news”“It must be getting more serious”
- undergo a change or development“The water turned into ice”“Her former friend became her worst enemy”
- come into existence“What becomes has duration”
Where does become come from?
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”), e
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with become
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of become.
Questions about saying become
How do you pronounce become?
Say bih-KUHM. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈkʌm/. In British English it is /bɪˈkʌm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in become?
Become has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (KUHM). Broken into parts: bih · KUHM.
Do Americans and Brits say become the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪˈkʌm/ and the British form is /bɪˈkʌm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.