happen
verb (used without object)
to take place; come to pass; occur.
had been happening
-
past perfect progressiveof happen.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.
"Matters came to a head during a family holiday in Easter 2023 in the Lake District, and in October of that year Sarah Robb finally told the police what had been happening to her."
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
On Tuesday, Ms Terry shared a video on social media explaining what had been happening.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2025
The university’s administration had alleged to police that abuses of funding and mismanagement had been happening for a decade.
From Seattle Times ● May 8, 2024
Peck was ultimately arrested in August of 2003 after Bell “exploded” during a phone call with his mother, divulging what had been happening.
From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2024
Or should they just sit tight and let this terrible thing happen the way terrible things had been happening now ever since the 1848 war, trusting that, like Amarante Cordova, they could somehow, miraculously, survive?
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
