good behavior
Americannoun
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satisfactory, proper, or polite conduct.
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conduct conformable to law; orderly conduct.
The convict's sentence was reduced for good behavior.
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proper fulfillment of the duties of an office, especially a public office.
The incumbent could not be discharged during good behavior.
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.
When traveling with her dog, Tu usually ignores bad behavior and instead regularly rewards good behavior with treats.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
Nearly 30 inmates, selected for good behavior, donned tuxedos with pink boutonnieres and waited as daughters, some dressed in formal gowns, were led into the prison’s Bible college transformed into a makeshift dance hall.
From Salon • Nov. 30, 2025
Note: Projected remaining sentences reflect BOP estimates that account for any credit for time served or good behavior as of Oct.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025
His good behavior and work to rehabilitate himself and support other felons led to a reduced sentence.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2025
I will have good behavior on and off the field.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
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.
