behavioral

adjective

be·​hav·​ior·​al bi-ˈhā-vyə-rəl How to pronounce behavioral (audio)
bē-
1
: of or relating to behavior : pertaining to reactions made in response to social stimuli
behavioral problems
behavioral similarities
Half of all potential guide dogs don't get final clearance because of medical or behavioral issues.Cassie Kreitner
2
: relating to or concerned with the social, psychological, and emotional factors that affect financial decisions and behavior
behavioral economics
Behavioral finance … holds that financial man—far from the perfect, mechanical trader depicted in textbooks—is a rather neurotic fellow. He follows the crowd, fails to plan ahead and often makes mistakes.Roger Lowenstein
behaviorally adverb
… gradually came to the conclusion that the wild dogs are physically and behaviorally distinct enough to constitute a uniform breed. Christine Mlot

Examples of behavioral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Rather than rely on guesswork or data-heavy behavioral analytics, the company offers a deterministic authentication model rooted in hardware: the secure chip already inside every SIM and eSIM card. Jon Stojan, USA Today, 7 June 2025 On the other hand, there was this unmistakable megatrend around behavioral insurance. Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 June 2025 Due to a combination of biological advantages—such as protective effects of estrogen and stronger immune responses—and behavioral factors like lower rates of risky activities, better health-seeking habits, and less exposure to occupational hazards and violence, women live longer than men. Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025 The company focuses on skilled nursing/transitional care facilities, senior housing, behavioral health facilities and specialty hospitals. Michelle Fox, CNBC, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for behavioral

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of behavioral was in 1919

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Cite this Entry

“Behavioral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behavioral. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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