burst
verb (used without object)
to break, break open, or fly apart with sudden violence.
had been bursting
-
past perfect progressiveof burst.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.
A few weeks earlier, the public pool had been bursting with children and families, but it had shut down for the summer — a symptom of the city’s struggles to hire enough trained pool managers.
From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2023
And Homeland Security’s migrant processing facility, which had been bursting, was quickly cut to below its 1,000-person capacity, Mr. Comer said, citing news reports.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 20, 2023
Andy described how his family had been "bursting with excitement" as they eagerly awaited the series launch.
From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2022
It was a humiliating end to a season that had been bursting with promise.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 11, 2019
It was the question he had been bursting to answer.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
