contribute
verb (used with object)
to give (money, time, knowledge, assistance, etc.) to a common supply, fund, etc., as for charitable purposes.
had been contributing
-
past perfect progressiveof contribute.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 gap between U.S. and Japan interest rates had been contributing to the yen’s recent weakness, heightening its appeal for the so-called carry trade, in which traders use low-yielding currencies to invest in higher-yielding assets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
The jury said failures in leadership and issues surrounding the first transfer of a prison between private companies in England and Wales, the month before the deaths, had been contributing factors.
From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2025
Those most likely to be captured, men and women in the prime of life, had been contributing the greatest share of labor to their communities.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022
Mr. Downs was the sole host until 1984, when his former “Today” colleague Barbara Walters, who had been contributing to “20/20” for a few years, became his co-host.
From New York Times ● Jul. 2, 2020
For ten years he had been contributing literary essays to magazines and newspapers.
From Gargoyles by Ben Hecht
