# behaved

/bɪˈheɪvd/ (US) · /bɪhˈeɪvd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/behaved
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. acted in a certain way

verb · CEFR A2

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

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

- The children behaved very well during the long wedding ceremony.
- 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'.

### 2. having a certain character

adjective · CEFR B1

used with another word to describe how someone usually acts.

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

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

## Examples

- The children behaved very well during the long dinner.
- The students behaved professionally during the field trip, impressing the museum staff with their thoughtful questions.
- Although the market behaved erratically during the opening hour, it eventually stabilised as investors regained confidence in the new fiscal policy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.