perform
verb (used with object)
had been performing
-
past perfect progressiveof perform.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.
Opportunities might also be found in sectors that had been performing well—until the Iran war knocked them down.
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
Originally from Mexico City, the vivacious Godoy had been performing from an early age, long before “One Piece” was on the horizon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026
Before DHS, those 22 agencies had been performing distinct functions.
From Slate ● Jan. 15, 2026
That’s particularly troubling considering how the team’s defense, long the franchise’s strength, had been performing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2025
For the last four years, he had been performing at concerts, antiwar rallies, and marches, but this would be the group’s largest audience ever.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
