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

As the search for Jessica turned into a hunt for her killer, the FBI became involved and even released a behavioral profile of the suspect, according to ABC News. —Nicole Acosta, People.com, 3 May 2025

Discovering entails foresight and strategic sensemaking, scanning the horizon for signals of change like technological shifts and behavioral trends, and interpreting their implications. —William Jones, USA Today, 3 May 2025

As a result, Heredia’s swift and aggressive response to the crisis — which authorities said was needed to root out fraud and save lives — caused concerns that behavioral health care, especially for Native Americans, was increasingly difficult to access. —Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 2 May 2025

Poor sleep can trigger trouble focusing at work or school, as well as behavioral issues among kids. —Angela Haupt, Time, 2 May 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