What does "behaved" mean?

1. (acted in a certain way) acted or conducted yourself in a specific way, especially in a good or polite way. 2. (having a certain character) used with another word to describe how someone usually acts.

How do you use "behaved"?

Often used with adverbs like 'well' or 'badly'. Almost always appears in compound forms like 'well-behaved' or 'badly-behaved'.

behaved

v. · adj.

US //bɪˈheɪvd// UK //bɪhˈeɪvd// be·haved

1 acted in a certain way (v.)
A2 Elementary

acted or conducted yourself in a specific way, especially in a good or polite way.

the past tense of 'behave', referring to the manner in which an individual conducted themselves in a social or specific context.

Example

The children behaved very well during the long wedding ceremony.

Example

The witnesses reported that the suspect behaved erratically throughout the interview, frequently contradicting his previous statements.

Usage

Often used with adverbs like 'well' or 'badly'.
- acted
- conducted
- misbehaved
2 having a certain character (adj.)
B1 Intermediate

used with another word to describe how someone usually acts.

used in combination with adverbs to form compound adjectives describing a person's habitual conduct.

Example

She is a very well-behaved student who always listens to the teacher.

Example

The headmaster noted that even the most ill-behaved students showed a remarkable degree of focus during the practical science workshop.

Usage

Almost always appears in compound forms like 'well-behaved' or 'badly-behaved'.
- mannered

Last updated June 20, 2026