ask
verb (used with object)
to put a question to; inquire of.
had been asking
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past perfect progressiveof ask.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.
“I had been asking for funding for about six or seven years, but I didn’t manage to get it,” Schmitz said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026
Last month, Kinski told a German newspaper she had been asking Wenders to change the film for years.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
Linsday Foreman, a life coach, had been asking people along the route what it means to live a good life.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026
After its earlier respectable performance flagged in the past three years, more investors had been asking to cash out than the fund’s previous structure could accommodate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
He wondered why the man was so suspicious, and whether any one had been asking for news of a party of hobbits.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
