draw
verb (used with object)
to cause to move in a particular direction by or as if by a pulling force; pull; drag (often followed by along, away, in, out, oroff ).
had been drawing
-
past perfect progressiveof draw.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.
Even at the height of Field’s renown, she writes, a “Pole going by a French name, Chopin, had been drawing attention for his nocturnes—John’s invention—without giving due credit.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
"Given that David started working in 1959 and had been drawing The Bash Street Kids since 1962, he is the single most important illustrator in Beano history."
From BBC ● Jan. 19, 2023
The process, one step in concentrating the ore into weapons-grade uranium, leaked uranium and manganese into groundwater, and in 1990, regulators found that residents had been drawing that contaminated water from 22 wells.
From Salon ● Dec. 6, 2022
By that time, health officials had been drawing attention to cases, and she and other doctors began going back and reviewing unexplained illnesses since October.
From Seattle Times ● May 22, 2022
Johnny took his seat and Cilia put down the slate she had been drawing on.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
