bleed
verb (used without object)
to lose blood from the vascular system, either internally into the body or externally through a natural orifice or break in the skin.
had been bleeding
-
past perfect progressiveof bleed.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.
There were no signs of blood by the time he gave his postgame interview, but Smith-Schuster confirmed that he had been bleeding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2025
Three of the largest cities in the U.S. that had been bleeding residents this decade staunched those departures somewhat.
From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2024
She also sent child maintenance forms and told him that she had been bleeding heavily.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2023
But those problems were compounded by the decrepit infrastructure, which had been bleeding revenue for years.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 27, 2023
There had been bleeding; if she could have afforded an examination, a doctor would have found signs of placental abruption.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
