behavioral

adjective

be·​hav·​ior·​al bi-ˈhā-vyə-rəl 

bē-

1

: of or relating to behavior : pertaining to reactions made in response to social stimuli

behavioral problems

behavioral similarities

Half of all potential guide dogs don't get final clearance because of medical or behavioral issues.

—Cassie Kreitner

2

: relating to or concerned with the social, psychological, and emotional factors that affect financial decisions and behavior

behavioral economics

Behavioral finance … holds that financial man—far from the perfect, mechanical trader depicted in textbooks—is a rather neurotic fellow. He follows the crowd, fails to plan ahead and often makes mistakes.

—Roger Lowenstein

behaviorally

bi-ˈhā-vyə-rə-lē 

bē-

adverb

… gradually came to the conclusion that the wild dogs are physically and behaviorally distinct enough to constitute a uniform breed.

—Christine Mlot

Examples of behavioral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tripadvisor just released its annual trendcast report, exploring the themes predicted to dominate travel this year, based on the travel website’s booking, behavioral, and search data. —Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Taking part in the World Economic Forum for the first time, Catalight operates at the heart of this conversation by reimagining how behavioral healthcare can be designed and delivered to meet modern demands. —CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026

By licensing his behavioral models, the TikToker is essentially (and fittingly) a silent partner in the brand deal. —Jake Angelo, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026

The study was based on an online quiz developed by the university, which led participants through 17 questions asking about their behavioral habits regarding emotional eating, dieting and exercise. —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing behavioral

• behavioral modification
• behavioral science
• behavioral therapist
• behavioral therapy
• cognitive behavioral therapy

Rhymes for behavioral

• behavioural
• biobehavioral
• neurobehavioral