had been abdicating

• past perfect progressive

  past perfect progressive

  Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.

  of abdicate.
  abdicate

  verb (used without object)

  to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in a formal manner.

Related Words

• forgo
• relinquish
• renounce
• step down
• vacate