poll
noun
a sampling or collection of opinions on a subject, taken from either a selected or a random group of persons, as for the purpose of analysis.
had been polling
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past perfect progressiveof poll.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 reformist People's Party -- which had been polling first ahead of the election, but ultimately came in second -- will lead the opposition.
From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026
What really struck me in that moment was realizing that only six months earlier, Zohran had been polling at 1 percent and was a candidate no one thought would go very far.
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2025
Adams had been polling in fourth place and struggling to fundraise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2025
He had been polling below 10% in the race, and was given almost no chance of actually winning.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 2, 2023
However, earlier this year it had been polling as high as 37 percent, suggesting its momentum had ground to a halt following months of surging popularity.
From Reuters ● May 26, 2019
