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Glite Dictionary
well behaved

well behaved

1 1.2
A child or pet that acts politely and calmly
  • adjective
  • /wɛl bɪˈheɪvd/
translation icon : bien educado
  • The children were very well behaved during the school assembly, listening quietly to the speaker.

Examples

  • The young people know that their parents expect them to be well-behaved at all times, including during their time in school.

    Academic text (1996)

  • A well-behaved, on-task, and active student was desired.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Normally, he was very well behaved.

    Academic text (2014)

  • Andrew could be well-behaved when necessary.

    Academic text (2018)

  • I should emphasize that for me the litter here was the people; they were well behaved.

    Blog text (6)

  • A child doesn't have to be well behaved.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • WB was very well behaved.

    Blog text (14)

  • Said Gay Tálèse, author of Honor Thy Father, "Mafia children respect their parents and are very well behaved..."

    Academic text (2016)

  • "Very well behaved," said Chris Kornkven, a Persian Gulf War veteran from Helenville, Wis., who stopped to pet the dogs.

    Blog text (15)

  • Even that early we waited for 45 minutes with other clean, neat, well-behaved Evil Winter Parkians to dimple chads for Romney-Paul!

    Blog text (9)

Synonyms

nice
vswell behaved
∞ 1.0

Being kind and polite to others

emphasizes rule-following for children rather than warmth or kindness
polite
vswell behaved
329 1.0

Showing good manners and respect to other people

is narrower, stressing conformity to adult expectations for children
courteous
vswell behaved
43 3.7

Polite and respectful when you speak or behave

is broader, applying to children's general obedience to authority
well-mannered
vswell behaved
10 2.9

Polite and respectful to other people

is about children meeting adult expectations of proper conduct
well-bred
vswell behaved
4 5.8

Polite and taught to behave well by family or school

concerns following adult expectations rather than showing refined background
mannerly
vswell behaved
1 4.1

Polite and behaving well around other people

is used for behaving as adults expect, often in child situations
mannerable
vswell behaved
  • Archaic
1 7.3

Being polite and treating people with respect

is focused on children obeying adult rules rather than general etiquette

Antonyms

disobedient
11 4.0

Refuses to obey rules or people in charge

ill-mannered
5 3.9

Rude and impolite in how someone talks or acts

How Well-Behaved

exemplary
45 5.8
well behaved
1 1.2
obedient
45 1.0
naughty
145 1.0
errant
3 7.8
unruly
41 4.3

Surface Forms

well behaved positive
better behaved comparative
best behaved superlative

Morphology

well + behave

The adjective 'well behaved' is directly and transparently derived from 'well' (in a good/satisfactory manner) + 'behave' (to act in a socially acceptable way), so its meaning 'behaving in a polite or proper way' is predictable from the parts. This construction (adverb + past-participial adjective) is a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern and will be immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Well behaved comes from the simple idea of doing things in a good way, with well meaning good and describing behaved. Imagine a child who follows the rules and shows polite manners, and that's why the phrase means 'polite' or 'proper' today.