bargain
noun
an advantageous purchase, especially one acquired at less than the usual cost.
had been bargaining
-
past perfect progressiveof bargain.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.
The two groups had been bargaining over a new contract since June.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2025
She said UC had been bargaining in good faith, offering “real improvements, meaningful raises, strong benefits and fair working conditions that reflect how much we value our employees.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 8, 2025
The buttons functioned as a symbol of solidarity among Disneyland Resort staffers, who had been bargaining for new contracts with the Walt Disney Co. since late April.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2024
In a statement, the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, said that the city had been bargaining with Local 721 in good faith since January.
From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2023
This, I suspect, was the gang for whom the captain had been bargaining with their owner, as they were immediately afterwards summoned out and marched down, as the others had been, to the vessel.
From The African Trader The Adventures of Harry Bayford by Kingston, William Henry Giles
