behaved; behaving

transitive verb

1
: to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way
2
: to conduct (oneself) in a proper manner
getting children to behave themselves

intransitive verb

1
: to act, function, or react in a particular way
He behaves like a child.
testing how various metals behave under heat and pressure
2
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That’s one of my big dreams — to learn a lot about different cultures and how different cultures behave. Anne Easton, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025 How the climate crisis may be changing the way tornadoes behave A level 4 of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms surrounds the high risk area and stretches from eastern Louisiana, including New Orleans, into western Georgia, and the extreme western Florida Panhandle. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025 The best ideas are the ones that emanate organically from the characters, like the stiff-legged dancing styles of the Scarecrow and the Tinman or the denizens of the Emerald City behaving like oblivious clubgoers at an all-night dance party. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2025 In any case, most of these claims have involved quantum computers that weren't solving any particular algorithm, but rather simply behaving like a quantum computer. Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for behave

Word History

Etymology

Middle English behaven, from be- be- + haven "to have entry 1, hold"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of behave was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Behave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behave. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

behaved; behaving
1
: to conduct oneself
behaved badly at the meeting
2
: to conduct oneself properly
please behave
3
: to act, function, or react in a particular way
how metals behave under heat and pressure

Medical Definition

behaved; behaving

transitive verb

: to bear or conduct (oneself) in a particular way

intransitive verb

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

More from Merriam-Webster on behave

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