What is the antonym of “behave”?
The antonyms of behave are misbehave and act out. These words describe opposite ways of conducting oneself in a given situation.
Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
To behave in an unacceptable or inappropriate manner, often breaking rules or social norms.
Example
The children were warned not to misbehave during the school assembly.
How are these antonyms different from each other?
- 1Misbehave implies breaking rules or social norms, while act out implies expressing emotions or impulses through behavior.
- 2Misbehave is often used to describe children's behavior, while act out is more commonly used to describe teenagers or adults.
- 3Misbehave has a negative connotation, while act out can have either a negative or positive connotation depending on the context.
Good things to know
- 1Parenting: Use misbehave to set boundaries and expectations for children's behavior.
- 2Therapy: Use act out to describe how someone is expressing their emotions or impulses in a therapeutic setting.
- 3Education: Use misbehave to describe unacceptable behavior in the classroom and to enforce discipline.
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Remember this!
The antonyms of behave are misbehave and act out. Misbehave implies breaking rules or social norms, while act out implies expressing emotions or impulses through behavior. Use these words in parenting, therapy, and education contexts to describe behavior and enforce discipline.
