add
verb (used with object)
to unite or join so as to increase the number, quantity, size, or importance.
had been adding
-
past perfect progressiveof add.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.
Big banks had been adding staff over the past year in strategic expansions, but now sudden jumps in activity have them seeking to hire even more and slowing layoffs they might have otherwise executed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2025
He said he had been adding 10-year Treasuries in recent weeks, with worries around the debt ceiling being a driver, as well as concerns around an economic slowdown and recent stress in the financial system.
From Reuters ● Apr. 26, 2023
He said that in recent years, most areas of Amazon's business had been adding roles.
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2023
In the four years preceding the pandemic, the city had been adding non-Hispanic White residents at a rate of around 4,000 to 5,000 each year.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 1, 2022
I had been adding on more and more towers and buildings.
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
