keep
verb (used with object)
to hold or retain in one's possession; hold as one's own.
had been keeping
-
past perfect progressiveof keep.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.
Concerns of an oil-supply glut had been keeping oil prices and U.S. inflation in check — at least until investors started factoring in a potential conflict with Iran.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026
She added the pair had been "keeping a secret" before revealing the happy news.
From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2025
The efforts to make it seem like he had been keeping up his frenetic social media posting also backfired, because most of the posts had a whiff of literacy exceeding Trump’s current abilities.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2025
The journals that Inganni had been keeping since she was 6, along with irreplaceable family mementos, are destroyed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2025
Then there was the rumor that had been keeping the College servants whispering for days.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
