accelerate
verb (used with object)
to cause faster or greater activity, development, progress, advancement, etc., in.
had been accelerating
-
past perfect progressiveof accelerate.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.
For months, the movement had been accelerating and expanding, damaging homes, cracking roadways and upending life across the Portuguese Bend area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2024
The upward trend had been accelerating since 2013.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2022
Ciro Ugarte, director of health emergencies for the Pan American Health Organization, said vaccination efforts had been accelerating in recent weeks.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 18, 2021
He had been accelerating after passing through the town of Highmore, but said he had not yet set his cruise control.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 24, 2021
Shifts in pronunciation that had been accelerating for decades are likely to freeze as our interactions are limited mostly to family.
From New York Times ● Dec. 24, 2020
