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.
As locals questioned this growth, a city-commissioned Urban Land Institute study found the church was behaving similarly to most large institutional urban landowners, such as universities or hospitals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
"At that time, I was behaving a little bit like this flamethrower," she explained.
From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 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
And here at the couch, it should be mentioned, the sun, for all its ungraciousness to the rest of the room, was behaving beautifully.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
