behave
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to act in a particular way; conduct or comport oneself or itself.
The ship behaves well.
- Synonyms:
- perform
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to act properly.
Did the child behave?
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to act or react under given circumstances.
This plastic behaves strangely under extreme heat or cold.
verb (used with object)
verb
-
(intr) to act or function in a specified or usual way
-
to conduct (oneself) in a specified way
he behaved badly towards her
-
to conduct (oneself) properly or as desired
the child behaved himself all day
Other Word Forms
- unbehaving adjective
- well-behaved adjective
Etymology
Origin of behave
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English behaven “to behave oneself”; equivalent to be- + have
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That may or may not come to pass, but how we behave around others either impairs or enhances our reputation.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
Celebrities who behave recklessly don’t deserve our respect.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
“The real test will be how markets behave through the rest of the week, particularly given the recent pattern of selling into the weekend,” said Mark Hackett, chief markets strategist for Nationwide.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
In most cases, elasticity only becomes relevant when a liquid is cooled below its "glass transition," the point where it begins to behave more like a solid.
From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026
I told him that if he’d behave himself and not make any fuss I’d bring him a piece of candy.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
