fleet
noun
the largest organized unit of naval ships grouped for tactical or other purposes.
had been fleeting
-
past perfect progressiveof fleet.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.
There had been fleeting moments of joy in the past but, for many years, never anything like this.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2025
Their own sights of goal had been fleeting but, knowing they had to score to stand any chance of either progress or survival, Croatia were always likely to be more urgent.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 18, 2018
My previous encounters with permit had been fleeting at best — one cast a little too close or landing a little too loudly, and the fish scattered out of sight, with soul-deadening finality.
From New York Times ● Apr. 17, 2010
Dark spots seemed to run like a stream adown its back, as if it had been fleeting along under the edge of a wood, and catching the shadows of the leaves.
From Lilith, a romance by George MacDonald
It had been fleeting and inoffensive as the anger of a canary.
From Eden An Episode by Edgar Saltus
