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

2

: 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

behaviorally

bi-ˈhā-vyə-rə-lē 

bē-

adverb

… gradually came to the conclusion that the wild dogs are physically and behaviorally distinct enough to constitute a uniform breed.

—Christine Mlot

Examples of behavioral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sites provide primary health, behavioral health, dental, pharmaceutical and substance abuse care to people with Medicaid and Medicare. —Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025

In 2009 he was diagnosed with the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia, yet his good heart showed through the changes. —Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025

Cambridge used the industry’s data to create behavioral profiles of people who had bought guns and other potential voters and then targeted them with specific ads. —Corey G. Johnson, ProPublica, 5 Feb. 2025

The behavioral shift was observed for well over a year post-fire. —Anton Sorokin, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing behavioral

• behavioral modification
• behavioral science
• behavioral therapist
• behavioral therapy
• cognitive behavioral therapy