push
verb (used with object)
to press upon or against (a person or thing).
had been pushing
-
past perfect progressiveof push.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.
That kind of mantra -- using drones to save lives -- was precisely what Fedorov had been pushing at the defence ministry.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Other candidates under consideration in addition to O’Neill included Jane Nielsen, the former chief financial officer of Ralph Lauren, whom activist Elliott Investment Management had been pushing for the role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
Lyndon B. Johnson, the party’s wily leader, used it to effectively kill business-friendly amendments to a federal labor law that the GOP had been pushing.
From Slate ● Apr. 24, 2026
A German MEP who had been pushing for a change after Brexit told the BBC in 2017 that the naming rules were "contrary to German linguistic tradition".
From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026
De Roos had been pushing this angle since the last campaign.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
