become essential to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "become essential to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that is increasingly necessary or important for a particular purpose or situation. Example: "As technology advances, digital literacy has become essential to success in the modern workplace."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Palestinian statehood — alongside Israel's — has become essential to Herzl's dream.

The New York Times

Repetition itself could become essential to this task.

The New York Times - Tech

These have now become essential to the BBC and vice versa.

The Guardian - Books

Some of Delany's works have become essential to the history of science fiction.

The New Yorker

Each millimetre, he insisted, had to become essential to the whole.

The Guardian - Arts

Should any of Blockstream's proprietary innovations become essential to Bitcoin, the company could make a fortune.

The New Yorker

I'd been a playwright, and for me, television had become essential to make a living.

The New York Times

As a result, proteins encoded by nuclear DNA have become essential to chloroplast function.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Similarly, the pollination services provided by honeybees had become essential to modern agriculture.

Encyclopedia Britannica

His marionettes would eventually become essential to his American life and to the parade itself.

The New York Times - Books

Reviews have become essential to generating sales, even as the number of traditional review outlets has shrunk.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "become essential to" to highlight a transition where something gains significant importance over time. This shows the evolving nature of its necessity.

Common error

Avoid using "become essential to" when describing something that has always been essential. The phrase is best suited for scenarios where a clear shift in importance has occurred.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "become essential to" functions as a linking phrase, indicating that something is transitioning into a state of necessity or crucial importance. Ludwig AI affirms that it's correctly used in written English for illustrating increasing importance.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

36%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "become essential to" is a versatile linking phrase used to indicate that something has transitioned into a state of high necessity or importance. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used in various contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedias. It is important to use this phrase when describing something that has gained importance over time, instead of describing something that has always been essential. Close alternatives include "grow vital for", "prove crucial to", and "turn indispensable for". The phrase is appropriate for formal and informal communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prove crucial to

Indicates that something is demonstrably important for a specific outcome or situation.

get critical for

Emphasizes the urgency and high importance of something.

turn indispensable for

Focuses on the irreplaceable nature of something that has become essential.

grow vital for

Emphasizes a gradual increase in importance, similar to the original phrase, but focuses on vitality.

becoming paramount for

Stresses the supreme importance of something.

evolve into a necessity for

Highlights the transformational aspect of something becoming essential, suggesting a change over time.

assume importance for

Highlights the act of taking on significance or value.

gain significance for

Focuses on the increase in importance or meaning over time.

mature into a necessity for

Suggests a process of development and growth leading to essential status.

develop into a must-have for

Implies that something has become highly desirable and necessary.

FAQs

How can I use "become essential to" in a sentence?

Use "become essential to" when illustrating a transition where something's importance has significantly increased. For instance, "As remote work increases, strong internet security measures "become essential to" protecting company data".

What are some alternatives to "become essential to"?

You can use phrases like "grow vital for", "prove crucial to", or "turn indispensable for" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "became essential for" instead of "become essential to"?

While "become essential to" and "become essential for" are both grammatically sound, they carry slightly different connotations. The preposition "to" implies a relationship or impact on something specific, whereas "for" suggests a purpose or reason. Using "become essential to" emphasizes the relationship with something else, like "Technology has "become essential to" education".

What's the difference between "is essential to" and "become essential to"?

"Is essential to" describes a current state of necessity, whereas "become essential to" illustrates a transition toward that state. For example, "Clean water is essential to life" describes an ongoing requirement, whereas "Improved irrigation has "become essential to" modern agriculture" signifies a change where irrigation's importance grew over time.