discuss
verb (used with object)
to consider or examine by argument, comment, etc.; talk over or write about, especially to explore solutions; debate.
had been discussing
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past perfect progressiveof discuss.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 company had viewed the Stripe/Advent offer as insufficient, and the two sides had been discussing a higher price, The Wall Street Journal reported in August.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
Atkinson said that messages from May 2025 showed Lavrynovych had been discussing a "job" with El Money and Carpiuc.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
U.S. officials had been discussing approving additional sales when Xi pressed Trump about the issue during the Feb. 4 phone call.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 18, 2026
“You go first, babe,” I said, hoping that his answer would give me enough of a hook to guess which conflict everyone had been discussing.
From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2024
“Well, anyway,” I said, going back to what we had been discussing, “soup kitchen or not, they would not have refused an old ailing woman.”
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
