as in carries
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way
if the children behave themselves properly and sit quietly during church, they'll get their ice cream afterward
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Recent Examples of behaves
The discovery of relativity and quantum physics has demonstrated that nature at high speeds and small distances behaves in ways very foreign to our sensory perceptions.
—
Alan Lightman
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
When the wavelength of light is smaller than the size of the dust particle, the dust behaves like a good absorber.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025
The paradox is that collaboration feels like a human challenge but behaves like a system.
—Thomas Lim, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
However, at the atomic scale, gold behaves in ways that are far more valuable to science than to fashion.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
In dog stories, a dog gives unbounded love and is the best possible friend and behaves heroically—and then the dog dies.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025
Punctum’s light, however, behaves like a never-ending set of waves hitting the shore, and never losing formation.
—New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2025
This subtle bait and switch from a national identity crisis to a personal identity crisis is imaginative and, for a time, intriguing, with Gadebois doing some very heavy lifting as the bad guy that means well but, nevertheless, behaves appallingly.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Dating or being in a relationship with someone who behaves this way could result in a lot of pain, anger and frustration.
—Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2025
Alan Lightman
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
When the wavelength of light is smaller than the size of the dust particle, the dust behaves like a good absorber.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025
The paradox is that collaboration feels like a human challenge but behaves like a system.
—Thomas Lim, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
However, at the atomic scale, gold behaves in ways that are far more valuable to science than to fashion.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
In dog stories, a dog gives unbounded love and is the best possible friend and behaves heroically—and then the dog dies.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025
Punctum’s light, however, behaves like a never-ending set of waves hitting the shore, and never losing formation.
—New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2025
This subtle bait and switch from a national identity crisis to a personal identity crisis is imaginative and, for a time, intriguing, with Gadebois doing some very heavy lifting as the bad guy that means well but, nevertheless, behaves appallingly.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Dating or being in a relationship with someone who behaves this way could result in a lot of pain, anger and frustration.
—Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for behaves
Verb
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Authorities identified Tyler Robinson as Charlie Kirk‘s alleged assassin and charged him with murder, which carries the possibility of the death penalty.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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Repole’s cautionary advice carries significant weight given his impressive business track record.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To fit all listening scenarios, like all DALI loudspeakers, KUPID also acquits itself at low and high volumes.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In this photo provided by the Royal Navy on September 9, 2025, the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, left, conducts a joint operation with the Japanese aircraft carrier JS Kaga, right, in the Sea of Japan.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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Honda conducts an annual symposium in Japan where engineers and researchers from across the company including HRC gather to present and publish papers on their developments.—
Sam Abuelsamid,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Canales likely doesn’t want to cause an issue, especially this early in the season, by mandating how the defensive play-caller handles his various rotations and depth chart.—
Mike Kaye
September 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
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Serafina handles supervision and discipline in the brothel, while Arcángela manages finances and connections with local officials.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Who composes a symphony with a hammer?—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Sep. 2025
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Genji visits these woods before his exile to Suma and composes a poem wishing that the forest might one day see the injustice against him reversed.—
Lauren Groff,
The Atlantic,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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An 1878 law known as the Posse Comitatus Act generally restrains the use of the military for such purposes.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
17 Aug. 2025
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In the footage, a Border Patrol agent is shown holding one man with his forearm across a man’s neck – and later, an FHP officer restrains the man who is tased, grabbing him around the neck area while the man is doubled down.—
Syra Ortiz-Blanes,
Miami Herald,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The First 70 Years contains impeccable research and analysis, accompanied by fascinating photos of the sets, film crews, and casts.—
Michael Taube,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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The system contains unverified reports of side effects, including from patients, doctors and pharmacists.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Behaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/behaves. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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