abandon
verb (used with object)
to leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert.
had been abandoning
-
past perfect progressiveof abandon.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Families had been abandoning their children at orphanages hoping they’d be rescued.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 29, 2021
Despite ISIS’s advances in Kunar, though, some militants there had been abandoning the group.
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 21, 2019
Fans had been abandoning the team for years; attendance was lingering close to the bottom of the league.
From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2010
