operate
verb (used without object)
to work, perform, or function, as a machine does.
had been operating
-
past perfect progressiveof operate.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.
In 2015, a battery recycling plant that had been operating in Vernon for decades had to close down and pay $50 million toward cleaning up its hazardous wastes such as lead dust, cadmium and arsenic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
But similar to many rural and community hospitals, it had been operating in the red for years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2026
The Lincoln had been operating in the South China Sea when it was ordered to the Middle East.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026
Earlier, a baby girl was declared dead at another hospital after she was evacuated along with dozens of other children from the daycare centre, which media reports said had been operating without a license.
From Barron's ● Jan. 19, 2026
Of the three reactors that had been operating when the tsunami hit, unit 2 was the only one that was still intact.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
