leak
noun
an unintended hole, crack, or the like, through which liquid, gas, light, etc., enters or escapes.
had been leaking
-
past perfect progressiveof leak.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.
The container had been leaking acid at a rate of about a litre an hour for at least eight days when it sailed into Sri Lankan waters late at night on 19 May 2021.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2025
Even before plunging to the ocean’s depths, the vessel had been leaking heavy fuel that triggered an 18-mile oil slick through the waterway, which is critical for cargo and energy shipments heading to Europe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2024
The executive said that from 300-330 liters per second of water that had been leaking into the mine initially, the level has dropped to 10-30 liters per second due to sealing work.
From Reuters ● Nov. 17, 2022
Someone else described a ceiling that had been leaking for years.
From Slate ● Dec. 7, 2021
Hydrogen gas had been leaking into the unit 3 building since the day before.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
