eat
verb (used with object)
to take into the mouth and swallow for nourishment; chew and swallow (food).
had been eating
-
past perfect progressiveof eat.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.
That diet was also the most similar to what participants had been eating before the study began.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 16, 2026
An hour earlier, many of these same worshipers had been eating pizza.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
In short, the pasta she had been eating to boost her energy for competition was in fact damaging her body.
From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2025
Fernando Gomez Ruiz had been eating at a lunch truck outside Home Depot when agents arrested him and 10 others in early October.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2025
Since the wedding, Mum Olga had been eating Mandy’s cooking, in ever-increasing helpings.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
