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

Many frameworks emphasize technical skill sets or behavioral competencies. —Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 17 May 2025

Overall, the study found, ceasing weight loss drugs is likely to yield a more rapid weight regain than ceasing behavioral weight loss measures, like dieting. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 16 May 2025

In Maryland’s Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, the Capital Region Pay for Success project helped expand permanent supportive housing for individuals with a history of justice involvement who also experienced chronic homelessness and had unmet behavioral health needs. —Jennifer Loeffler-Cobia, Baltimore Sun, 15 May 2025

Additionally, Corrinne McIntosh Sako, the chairperson of the board, urged the county supervisors to support the region’s behavioral health mobile crisis response team. —Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 15 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