purchase
verb (used with object)
to acquire by the payment of money or its equivalent; buy.
had been purchasing
-
past perfect progressiveof purchase.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.
Gonzalez had been purchasing Scratchers twice a month, and the most she’s ever won was $50.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 28, 2024
At the November meeting, the Fed approved reductions in the amount of Treasury bonds and mortgage backed securities it had been purchasing to put downward pressure on long-term interest rates.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 24, 2021
Recent filings from some prominent hedge funds showed they had been purchasing ‘puts’ — bets that make money when the price of an investment declines — against her fund during the second quarter.
From New York Times ● Aug. 22, 2021
Rachael was riding home one afternoon from Basseterre, where she had been purchasing summer lawns and cambrics.
From The Conqueror by Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton
It wanted about three weeks to the holidays, and Jack and Valentine were returning from the ironmonger's, where they had been purchasing some sandpaper wherewith to put the finishing touches to their work.
From Soldiers of the Queen by Harold Avery
