Definition of behavior
1a : the manner of conducting (see 2conduct 4) oneself criminal behavior normal adolescent behaviorb : anything that an organism does involving action and response to stimulationc : the response of an individual, group, or species to its environment They are studying the behavior of elephants in the wild.
2 : the way in which someone conducts oneself or behaves (see behave 1) We were grateful for the gracious behavior of our hostess. The children were rewarded for good behavior. Be on your best behavior.; also : an instance of such behavior unacceptable social behaviors
3 : the way in which something functions or operates They tested the behavior of various metals under heat and pressure.
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Examples of behavior in a Sentence
I'm surprised by her bad behavior toward her friends.
Students will be rewarded for good behavior.
scientists studying the behavior of elephants
An acceptable social behavior in one country may be unacceptable in another country.
Doctors are trying to educate people about behaviors that can put them at increased risk for skin cancer.
The experiment tested the behavior of various metals under heat and pressure.
Recent Examples of behavior from the Web
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But both morally and legally there are distinctions — degrees of behavior.
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A school in Des Moines was able to curb bad behavior by moving what had been an afternoon snack to morning, the Register noted.
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The Southern Poverty Law Center has received more than 430 reports, the majority of them for anti-immigrant behavior, followed by anti-black episodes.
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The gathering further bolstered Mr. Xi by adopting disciplinary rules that reinforce his anticorruption campaign and that include new directives on acceptable political behavior and stronger supervision.
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To the casual observer, Donald Trump's behavior could easily be interpreted as irascibly childish—with all due respect to irascible children.
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He was released early due to good behavior and getting credit for time already served, his attorney, Arturo Corso, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Parry Aftab, a lawyer who leads the Internet safety group WiredSafety, said Mr. Trump’s behavior was a textbook example of cyberbullying.
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Google’s research had identified dozens of behaviors that seemed important, except that sometimes the norms of one effective team contrasted sharply with those of another equally successful group.
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Other Psychology Terms
BEHAVIOR Defined for English Language Learners
behavior
playDefinition of behavior for English Language Learners
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: the way a person or animal acts or behaves
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: the way something (such as a machine or substance) moves, functions, or reacts
BEHAVIOR Defined for Kids
behavior
playDefinition of behavior for Students
1 : the manner in which a person acts Students are rewarded for good behavior.
2 : the whole activity of something and especially a living being Scientists observed the elephant's behavior.
Medical Dictionary
behavior
Medical Definition of behavior
1: the manner of conducting oneself
2a: anything that an organism does involving action and response to stimulationb: the response of an individual, group, or species to its environment
Learn More about behavior
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for behavior Spanish Central: Translation of behavior Nglish: Translation of behavior for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of behavior for Arabic speakers
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