brace
noun
something that holds parts together or in place, as a clasp or clamp.
had been bracing
-
past perfect progressiveof brace.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.
And then the name I had been bracing against: Lesbos.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
After office buildings failed to fill back up in the years following the pandemic, investors and analysts had been bracing for a wave of defaults in commercial real-estate loans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
For months, policymakers, businesses and trade watchers in Washington had been bracing for a turbulent spring and summer around the future of the USMCA, the trade pact binding the United States, Canada and Mexico.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
Bitsy Cherry had been bracing for the question ever since most of the members of a board game group that had started meeting online during the pandemic began attending in-person meetings a few months ago.
From New York Times ● Dec. 26, 2022
Maybe his dad had been bracing for the entire neighborhood to swarm the house with torches and pitchforks as soon as they saw Park with eyeliner.
From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell
