Meaning & use
behooved
Last updated
Past tense of 'behoove': was necessary or proper for someone to do, as a duty or in their own interest.
See it in a sentence
It behooved the committee to review the budget before making any promises.
She realized it behooved her to apologize before the argument grew any worse.
A note on using this word
Almost always used impersonally with 'it,' as in 'it behooved him to...'; the word has a slightly old-fashioned, formal tone.
Words with a similar meaning
befittedwas incumbent upon
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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