punish
verb (used with object)
to subject to pain, loss, confinement, death, etc., as a penalty for some offense, transgression, or fault.
had been punishing
-
past perfect progressiveof punish.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 lack of recognition stung, Dr. Wang said: It had been punishing, often boring work that had starved him of time with his wife and young daughter and left the family without much money.
From New York Times ● Jan. 15, 2022
For both families, the journey through Oaxaca had been punishing.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 22, 2018
Judged by his look of lax muscles and surrender, he had lain that way for hours,—the hours when I had been punishing him with my averted glance.
From Montlivet by Alice Prescott Smith
A fresh force of 50,000 held in reserve near Paris flew by motors and motor-busses against the right wing of Von Kluck, which the English in retiring had been punishing so heavily.
From The Audacious War by Clarence W. (Clarence Walker) Barron
