behave
verb (used without object)
to act in a particular way; conduct or comport oneself or itself.
was behaving
-
past progressiveof behave.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
"At that time, I was behaving a little bit like this flamethrower," she explained.
From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026
Critics, Alito said at the time, were falsely suggesting that the court was behaving in a sinister fashion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
“Because my husband thought the raccoon was behaving with foreign intent, like the raccoon was a spy or something. It was just stupid.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026
A seemingly ordinary star called Gaia20ehk was behaving in a way astronomers rarely see.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 11, 2026
To make matters worse, America was behaving strangely underfoot.
From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare
