Synonyms of behave

behave

verb

bi-ˈhāv 

as in to carry

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• carry
• acquit
• conduct
• handle
• restrain
• compose
• contain
• comport
• quit
• collect
• play
• demean
• control
• act
• bear
• check
• deport
• constrain
• inhibit
• curb
• temper
• quiet
• modulate
• moderate
• repress
• impersonate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• misconduct
• carry on
• cut up
• misbehave
• act up

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb behave differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of behave are acquit, comport, conduct, and deport. While all these words 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

When can acquit be used instead of behave?

The words acquit and behave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, acquit applies to action under stress that deserves praise or meets expectations.

acquitted herself well in her first assignment

When might comport be a better fit than behave?

The synonyms comport and behave are sometimes interchangeable, but comport suggests conduct measured by what is expected or required of one in a certain class or position.

comported themselves as gentlemen

When is conduct a more appropriate choice than behave?

The words conduct and behave can be used in similar contexts, but conduct implies action or behavior that shows the extent of one's power to control or direct oneself.

conducted herself with unfailing good humor

When would deport be a good substitute for behave?

In some situations, the words deport and behave are roughly equivalent. However, 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

Examples of behave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

By behaving in ways that real whip-poor-wills never do, Dunwich’s nightjars symbolize the horrors the Whateleys unleash on the townspeople. —Jared Del Rosso, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024

Among them: That without guardrails, there are people who will take advantage of San Francisco’s generous spirit and behave in ways that drag the city down. —Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024

Once relieved of their status as objects, these paintings and sculptures behave as tokens of untraceable exchange among oligarchical speculators. —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024

As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without. —Jordan Moreau, Variety, 18 Oct. 2024