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
Cassie Kreitner2
: 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
Roger Lowenstein
behaviorally
bi-ˈhā-vyə-rə-lē
adverb
bē-
… gradually came to the conclusion that the wild dogs are physically and behaviorally distinct enough to constitute a uniform breed.
—Christine Mlot
Christine Mlot
Examples of behavioral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
From my experience, this shift is not just behavioral, but structural.
—Anmol Goel, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Schlanger called for Aurora to launch a task force with representatives from the police and fire departments, the city and mental health service providers to identify gaps in the city’s behavioral health safety net and consider how to fix those problems.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 28 May 2026
Two prescription medications, varenicline and bupropion, also can significantly improve quit rates, especially when combined with behavioral counseling and support programs.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Scalise said the lack of access in rural areas can result in a much higher percent of chronic disease, late stage cancer discoveries, and untreated substance abuse and behavioral health issues.
—Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for behavioral
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Anmol Goel, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Schlanger called for Aurora to launch a task force with representatives from the police and fire departments, the city and mental health service providers to identify gaps in the city’s behavioral health safety net and consider how to fix those problems.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 28 May 2026
Two prescription medications, varenicline and bupropion, also can significantly improve quit rates, especially when combined with behavioral counseling and support programs.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Scalise said the lack of access in rural areas can result in a much higher percent of chronic disease, late stage cancer discoveries, and untreated substance abuse and behavioral health issues.
—Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for behavioral
Cite this Entry
“Behavioral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behavioral. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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