cough
verb (used without object)
to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a harsh noise, often involuntarily.
had been coughing
-
past perfect progressiveof cough.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.
His family had said that, at the time, he had been showing symptoms of tuberculosis and had been coughing blood.
From New York Times ● Dec. 8, 2022
McConney, who had been coughing off and on during his testimony last week, didn’t do so nearly as much on Thursday and testified that he was feeling “much better.”
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 10, 2022
It was at that point the mother said the baby had been coughing and not eating all day, and the rush to get medical help began.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 23, 2021
Zoo Atlanta said Friday that employees noticed the gorillas had been coughing, had runny noses and showed changes in appetite.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 11, 2021
Come to think of it, Jojo had been coughing quite a bit at night.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
