behavioral

adjective

be·​hav·​ior·​al bi-ˈhā-vyə-rəl 

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

bi-ˈhā-vyə-rə-lē 

bē-

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

Several dyes have been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children or have been shown to cause cancer in mice or rats -- but none have shown to cause cancer in humans. —Sony Salzman, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2025

When massive financial mergers face legal challenges, regulators now reach for behavioral Band-Aids instead of structural solutions. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025

Girls with autism are also more likely to have behavioral problems, such as aggressive behavior, related to their menstruation. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 21 Apr. 2025

Other policies reduce racial disparities in the criminal justice system – such as alternative 911 response programs that use unarmed behavioral health workers to respond to some types of emergencies. —Christopher S. Warshaw, The Conversation, 18 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing behavioral

• behavioral modification
• behavioral science
• behavioral therapist
• behavioral therapy
• cognitive behavioral therapy

Rhymes for behavioral

• behavioural
• biobehavioral
• neurobehavioral