gather
verb (used with object)
to bring together into one group, collection, or place.
had been gathering
-
past perfect progressiveof gather.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.
For weeks, people had been gathering at the abandoned property on Mulholland Drive overlooking a canyon right below the Universal City Overlook.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
The business-climate index dropped to its lowest level since February last year, as the Iran war swept away a nascent recovery in sentiment that had been gathering pace since the start of this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026
Demonstrators had been gathering outside the terminal in Santarem, in northern Brazil's Para state, for a month before taking over company offices this weekend.
From Barron's ● Feb. 21, 2026
The fans had been gathering for more than an hour while the Arizona sunshine grew brighter by the minute.
From New York Times ● Apr. 4, 2024
What if his name was forever stripped of all the wonderful memories that Moss had been gathering?
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
