Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
People who had been laughing with their friends and taking selfies an hour and a half earlier looked glassy-eyed and peaceful, as if they were coming out of a trance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2023
Since Mrs Davies' return, he said they had been "laughing at episodes of Benidorm", adding: "We should have had more special moments like that."
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2021
The studio audience had been laughing along with him all day, but when he said that line, he heard them moan.
From New York Times ● Jun. 9, 2021
Just moments earlier, the teenager had been laughing so hard he was in tears.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 8, 2018
Dicey tried to remember the last time she heard Sammy laugh, and that had been laughing at Maybeth because a doll she made out of sea grass had been washed away by a wave.
From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt
