conduct
Americannoun
-
personal behavior; way of acting; bearing or deportment.
- Synonyms:
- manners, actions, comportment, demeanor
-
direction or management; administration.
the conduct of a business.
- Synonyms:
- government, guidance
-
the act of conducting; guidance.
The curator's conduct through the museum was informative.
-
Obsolete. a guide; an escort.
verb (used with object)
-
to behave or manage (oneself).
He conducted himself well.
-
to direct in action or course; manage; carry on: to conduct a test.
to conduct a meeting;
to conduct a test.
- Synonyms:
- administer, supervise
-
to direct (an orchestra, chorus, etc.) as leader.
-
to lead or guide; escort.
to conduct a tour.
-
to serve as a channel or medium for (heat, electricity, sound, etc.).
Copper conducts electricity.
verb (used without object)
-
to lead.
-
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.
noun
-
the manner in which a person behaves; behaviour
-
the way of managing a business, affair, etc; handling
-
rare the act of guiding or leading
-
rare a guide or leader
verb
-
(tr) to accompany and guide (people, a party, etc) (esp in the phrase conducted tour )
-
(tr) to lead or direct (affairs, business, etc); control
-
(tr) to do or carry out
conduct a survey
-
(tr) to behave or manage (oneself)
the child conducted himself well
-
Also (esp US): direct. to control or guide (an orchestra, choir, etc) by the movements of the hands or a baton
-
to transmit (heat, electricity, etc)
metals conduct heat
Usage
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.
Related Words
See behavior.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of conduct
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; see conduit; conduce
Explanation
The noun conduct refers to behavior, like how students are rewarded for good conduct. The verb conduct means carry something through, as in "to conduct a survey." And if you lead an orchestra, you conduct it. Your conduct (accent on the first syllable), or your own behavior, is the way you conduct (accent on the second syllable), or lead, yourself. Keep the accent on the second syllable to conduct, or lead, an orchestra, and to conduct an interview by asking someone questions. Also, metals like copper or gold conduct electricity by letting the electricity pass through.
Vocabulary lists containing conduct
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Lead the Way: Duc and Duct
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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.
Los Angeles police officers were patrolling the park around 10: 20 p.m. on May 5 when they spotted Johnson abruptly conduct a U-turn in front of them, according to an affidavit filed with the complaint.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
He was suspended for the first six weeks of the 2025 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
The administrators also wrote that they had submitted a report on the conduct of the directors to the Department for Business, in accordance with the Company Directors Disqualification Act.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
The accord permitted Iran to conduct centrifuge research after 8 1/2 years, a concession that meant that when the 15 years expired, Iran could be ready to mass-produce enriched uranium with more advanced machines.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
“Do you have a preference for who should conduct the meeting?”
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
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.
