behoove: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, archaic, literary
Quick answer
What does “behoove” mean?
It is morally right or necessary for someone to do something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
It is morally right or necessary for someone to do something; it is incumbent upon someone to act in a particular way.
To be appropriate, advantageous, or necessary for someone.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, the alternative spelling 'behove' /bɪˈhəʊv/ is standard. American English only uses 'behoove' /bɪˈhuːv/. The verb is conjugated as regular in both variants.
Connotations
Carries a somewhat pompous or archaic feel in both varieties. In American English, it is often associated with legalistic or bureaucratic language. In British English, the spelling 'behove' may appear in more traditional or ceremonial texts.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both, but slightly more attested in American English due to its survival in legal and policy contexts. Almost never encountered in everyday conversation in either variant.
Grammar
How to Use “behoove” in a Sentence
It + behoove + NP + to-infinitive (e.g., It behooves the board to act swiftly).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “behoove” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- It behoves a citizen to vote.
- It would behove the minister to consider the consequences.
- It ill behoves you to criticise.
American English
- It behooves a lawyer to be meticulously prepared.
- It would behoove the committee to review the data.
- It behooves us to act with integrity.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form.
American English
- No standard adverb form.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjective form.
American English
- No standard adjective form.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, but may appear in formal corporate communications or ethics policies: 'It behooves all employees to maintain confidentiality.'
Academic
Found in philosophical, historical, or legal texts discussing duty or propriety.
Everyday
Virtually never used. Its use would sound deliberately archaic or humorous.
Technical
Occasionally in legal writing to denote a duty or obligation.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “behoove”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “behoove”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “behoove”
- Using it with a personal subject (e.g., *'I behoove to study' is wrong). Correct: 'It behooves me to study.'
- Using it in active voice for a person (e.g., *'He behooves respect' is wrong).
- Confusing it with 'behave'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is almost exclusively used in the impersonal construction 'It behooves [someone] to [do something].'
No. It is a formal, literary, and somewhat archaic word. You will most likely encounter it in legal documents, formal speeches, or historical texts, not in everyday conversation.
'Behove' is the standard British English spelling. 'Behoove' is the standard American English spelling. They are pronounced slightly differently but mean the same thing.
In most contexts, phrases like 'it is right for... to', 'it is necessary for... to', 'it is incumbent upon... to', or '...should' can convey a similar, though less formal, meaning.
Behoove is usually formal, archaic, literary in register.
Behoove: in British English it is pronounced /bɪˈhəʊv/ (behove); /bɪˈhuːv/ (behoove, rare in UK), and in American English it is pronounced /bɪˈhuːv/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this word.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: It 'be-hooves' (like a horse's hooves) you to do it — it's your duty to move forward and act.
Conceptual Metaphor
OBLIGATION IS A BURDEN / NECESSITY IS A PATH. The word frames a necessary action as something one is saddled with or must walk the path of.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'behoove' used correctly?