behave

verb

be·have bi-ˈhāv

bē-

behaved; behaving

Synonyms of behave next

transitive verb

: to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way

: to conduct (oneself) in a proper manner

getting children to behave themselves

intransitive verb

: to act, function, or react in a particular way

He behaves like a child.

testing how various metals behave under heat and pressure

: to conduct oneself properly

Please behave.

behaver noun

Choose the Right Synonym for behave

behave, conduct, deport, comport, acquit mean to act or to cause oneself to do something in a certain way.

behave may apply to the meeting of a standard of what is proper or decorous.

the children behaved in church

conduct implies action or behavior that shows the extent of one's power to control or direct oneself.

conducted herself with unfailing good humor

deport implies behaving so as to show how far one conforms to conventional rules of discipline or propriety.

the hero deported himself in accord with the code of chivalry

comport suggests conduct measured by what is expected or required of one in a certain class or position.

comported themselves as gentlemen

acquit applies to action under stress that deserves praise or meets expectations.

acquitted herself well in her first assignment

Examples of behave in a Sentence

If you can't behave in the store we'll have to leave. If you can't behave yourself in the store we'll have to leave. I wish those children would behave themselves. He behaves like a child! The experiment tested how various metals behave under heat and pressure.

Recent Examples on the Web The gallery’s centerpiece is a round table that looks like a record and behaves like an interactive display. —

Justin Davidson, Curbed, 20 Sep. 2023 These basal-type tumors behave clinically like triple-negative tumors — highly aggressive and complex — warranting more rigorous treatments than are usually used for estrogen-positive tumors. —

Nathalie McDowell Johnson, STAT, 19 Sep. 2023 Police officers expect victims to behave emotionally following an attack, when the more typical response is detachment. —

cleveland, 17 Sep. 2023 To make reliable assessments of how animals behave, the team needed to include multiple groups of animals that might adapt to metropolitan life in different ways. —

Maria Paula Escobar-Tello, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2023 Dog Tired Dear Dog Tired: People enjoying the first rush and flush of a new relationship tend to behave selfishly. —

Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 10 Sep. 2023 Though both songs center on an ex who behaved questionably, a central theme on Sour, Rodrigo is certain that her songwriting has grown since her first record. —

Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023 The Big Bang singularity and black holes singularities are fundamentally dissimilar objects that behave in radically different ways. —

Popular Mechanics, 8 Sep. 2023 By no means are dogs the only family pets that behave this way either. —

Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'behave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.