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
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had been pushing to allow robotaxi companies to operate a commercial service this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
She said she had been pushing past her limits "running on empty, and my body finally said enough. It honestly scared me."
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 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
This wretched place had been pushing Toby away for years, but now that there was someone else to think about, Toby found himself actually listening.
From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff
