accumulate
verb (used with object)
to gather or collect, often in gradual degrees; heap up.
had been accumulating
-
past perfect progressiveof accumulate.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.
It was only after the session that he realized how much work stress had been accumulating in his body over the past several months.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2025
The El Niño event might therefore have "lifted the lid" on warming, allowing ocean heat that had been accumulating to escape into the atmosphere.
From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2025
The Willows managers said that they feared for the safety of guests, staff and islanders, and that Wetzel’s response underlined leadership failures that had been accumulating for years.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 27, 2021
The other option is that Ann had been accumulating grievances and never addressing them with me, then dumped me after some last straw in a pile of straw I never knew existed.
From Slate ● Mar. 11, 2021
My skin buzzed, like it was crawling with microscopic organisms that had been accumulating steadily since my last shower weeks ago.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
