third-person singular verb
He, she, or it acts in a way that follows social rules or is acceptable to other people.
The dog behaves well at the park.
She always behaves respectfully toward others.
American English
How to pronounce behaves
verbB1Common word
bihHAYVZ
/bɪˈheɪvz/
2 syllables · Stress the second syllable.
Form of behave
He, she, or it acts in a way that follows social rules or is acceptable to other people.
Practice out loudMeanings & examples
third-person singular verb
He, she, or it acts, works, or reacts in a particular way.
The new software behaves differently than the old one.
The car behaves better after the tune-up.
Useful expressions
to act politely and follow the rules
You need to behave yourself at dinner.
Related words & forms
Before -ing, drop the final e: behave → behaving.