practice
noun
habitual or customary performance; operation.
had been practicing
-
past perfect progressiveof practice.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.
Up until Monday, both eaglets had been practicing venturing out onto tree limbs, where they would flap their wings and bounce.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2025
During the session he had been practicing underwater swimming and breath holding exercises.
From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2025
Memmelaar, meanwhile, had been practicing with the second team at guard after appearing in four games last season.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 22, 2023
It is likely that agriculturalists in the region adopted barley and wheat cultivation techniques from the Near East, where people had been practicing agriculture for thousands of years by this point.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
I wasn't going to tear up the paper keyboard I had been practicing on for the last three years, though.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
