behaves

present tense third-person singular of behave
as in carries
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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of behaves Imagine infrastructure that behaves less like static software and more like adaptive biological defense. Akhilesh Sharma, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Lighting, room size, and function all play a role in how color behaves. Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026 But Dumont wanted to look beyond insects to find out know how the spindle behaves in mammalian cells like ours. Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026 Dose, absorption and your own physiology all change how phytic acid behaves in the body. Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 June 2026 No child behaves perfectly all the time. Sherri Gordon, Parents, 22 June 2026 To tackle the issue, HEDI will focus on studying how matter behaves at extremely high temperatures and pressures. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 June 2026 Despite this, last month, the Illinois legislature passed HB4273, a bill that behaves as though Illinois is still living in a mild‑weather past. Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026 Someone behaves with a blatant lack of consideration for others. Judith Martin, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for behaves
Verb
  • But Kimball House’s award-winning bar program more than carries its own weight.
    Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • Tianwen-2 carries both a touch-and-go sampling system and an anchor-and-attach mechanism equipped with drills for collecting surface material.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • In the proud lineage of pint-sized blonde women who’ve held their own against Madonna, Carpenter acquits herself quite well.
    Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026
  • To fit all listening scenarios, like all DALI loudspeakers, KUPID also acquits itself at low and high volumes.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Founded in 1999, ProCamps conducts more than 175 events each year with top professional and collegiate athletes, which will now be integrated under the FlexWork Sports brand.
    Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 3 July 2026
  • Best for wildlife control Why trust USA TODAY The USA TODAY review team conducts all research in-house and vets every company on our rankings list.
    Alora Bopray, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Every July 4, the communications center in Rancho Cordova handles its highest call volume.
    Andrew Graham July 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026
  • Oman has said that any agreement will comply with international law, although the prospect of a financial system on a waterway that typically handles around 20% of the world's oil has sparked alarm.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Agent authority composes dynamically.
    Harsh Singhal, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
  • Each night, the chef composes a refined tasting menu, featuring two appetizers, a choice of two entrées, and a dessert.
    Christina Perrier, InStyle, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Remarkably, state law also severely restrains cities and counties from setting their own regulations, giving local leaders little sway over local gun policies.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026
  • The result is an economic model that favors producers, restrains consumers, and floods international markets with supercheap exports, including steel, solar panels, and electric vehicles.
    Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The 585-acre neighborhood contains 5 million square feet of office space, including 250,000 square feet of medical offices where John Muir Health has been expanding.
    George Avalos, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
  • The ancient Moa Eggshell Cave in New Zealand contains the remains of several extinct animal species lost approximately a million years ago.
    Devika Rao, TheWeek, 6 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Behaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/behaves. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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