# behaving

/bɪˈheɪvɪŋ/ (US) · /bɪhˈeɪvɪŋ/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. acting in a certain way

verb · CEFR A2

acting in a specific way, especially in a way that is polite or follows the rules.

For teachers: conducting oneself in a specified manner; often used to describe adherence to social or moral standards.

- The children were behaving so well at the restaurant that the waiter gave them free dessert.
- The students were behaving impeccably during the assembly, demonstrating a level of maturity that impressed the visiting speakers.

Usage: Often used with adverbs like 'well', 'badly', or 'properly'.

### 2. conduct or manners

noun · CEFR B1

the way that someone acts or conducts themselves.

For teachers: the manner in which one acts or functions; used as a gerund to describe the process of conduct.

- His strange behaving at the party made some of the guests feel uncomfortable.
- The study focused on the behaving of social insects when their primary food source was suddenly removed from the environment.

Usage: As a noun, this is less common than 'behaviour' in most contexts.

## Examples

- The children are behaving well in class.
- Please behave quietly while the doctor examines the patient.
- Despite the chaos around him, he continued behaving with remarkable calm and dignity.

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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.