alert
adjective
fully aware and attentive; wide-awake; keen.
had been alerting
-
past perfect progressiveof alert.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.
William told BBC Scotland he had been alerting the council and the school about concerns for at least two years before Lauren's death.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
For years, grieving families had been alerting members of Congress and federal officials of the risk.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2023
Grieving families had been alerting U.S. government officials as early as 2018.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2023
For months, Ann Castillo, a polite, get-it-done physical therapist, had been alerting the company that her husband, who had been proud to work for the retail giant, was severely ill.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 15, 2021
Throughout the morning, the government radio network had been alerting the nation for a major announcement.
From Time Magazine Archive
