conduct

[kon-duhkt, kuhn-duhkt]

noun

1. personal behavior; way of acting; bearing or deportment.

   Synonyms: manners, actions, comportment, demeanor

2. direction or management; administration.

   the conduct of a business.

   Synonyms: government, guidance

3. the act of conducting; guidance.

   The curator's conduct through the museum was informative.

4. Obsolete.,  a guide; an escort.

verb (used with object)

1. to behave or manage (oneself).

   He conducted himself well.

   Synonyms: bear, deport

2. to direct in action or course; manage; carry on: to conduct a test.

   to conduct a meeting;

   to conduct a test.

   Synonyms: administer, supervise

3. to direct (an orchestra, chorus, etc.) as leader.

4. to lead or guide; escort.

   to conduct a tour.

5. to serve as a channel or medium for (heat, electricity, sound, etc.).

   Copper conducts electricity.

verb (used without object)

1. to lead.

2. to act as conductor, or leader of a musical group, by communicating a specific interpretation of the music to the performers by motions of a baton or the hands.

conduct

noun

1. the manner in which a person behaves; behaviour

2. the way of managing a business, affair, etc; handling

3. rare,  the act of guiding or leading

4. rare,  a guide or leader

verb

1. (tr) to accompany and guide (people, a party, etc) (esp in the phrase conducted tour )

2. (tr) to lead or direct (affairs, business, etc); control

3. (tr) to do or carry out

   conduct a survey

4. (tr) to behave or manage (oneself)

   the child conducted himself well

5. Also (esp US): direct. to control or guide (an orchestra, choir, etc) by the movements of the hands or a baton

6. to transmit (heat, electricity, etc)

   metals conduct heat

Other Word Forms

• conductible adjective
• conductibility noun
• nonconductibility noun
• nonconductible adjective
• preconduct verb (used with object)
• reconduct verb (used with object)
• unconductible adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conduct¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin conductus “escort,” noun use of Latin conductus (past participle of condūcere “to lead, bring together”), equivalent to con- con- + duc- “to lead” + -tus past participle suffix; replacing Middle English conduyt(e), from Anglo-French, from Latin as above; conduit; conduce

Word History and Origins

Origin of conduct¹

C15: from Medieval Latin conductus escorted, from Latin: drawn together, from condūcere to _conduce

Synonym Study

See behavior.

Example Sentences

In an exclusive poll conducted by YouGov for MarketWatch in October, only about half of respondents said that the way they use and manage their money made them happy.

Read more on MarketWatch

In an exclusive poll conducted by YouGov for MarketWatch in October, only about half of respondents said that the way they use and manage their money made them happy.

Read more on MarketWatch

“When you are partners, people help you because you are an asset. We need to change our conduct and be America’s partners.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“She conducted herself like a schoolteacher,” said Jack Brammer, a longtime political commentator in Kentucky, “and we reporters were like her students.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to ensuring companies are held accountable for conduct that endangers the environment and our citizens,” said Contra Costa Dist.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• attend 
• control 
• direct 
• handle 
• keep 
• manage 
• operate 
• order 
• organize 
• oversee 
• regulate 
• run 
• supervise 

When To Use

What are other ways to say conduct?

To conduct oneself is to behave or manage oneself. To conduct a tour is to lead or guide it. How does conduct compare to synonyms guide, direct, and lead? Find out on Thesaurus.com.