race
noun
a contest of speed, as in running, riding, driving, or sailing.
had been racing
-
past perfect progressiveof race.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.
And he had been racing and wrecked his car and sent me a picture of it wrapped with the poster of the movie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
The CEO had been racing to finalize the deal to stem the defection of clients.
From Reuters ● Jun. 21, 2023
Busch had been racing hard with Joey Coulter, who was driving for RCR, and Childress didn’t appreciate it.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 5, 2023
Wardell, who lived in Glasgow, had been racing mountain bikes since his early 20s, but only turned professional earlier this year.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2022
Inside my chest, my heart had been racing for what felt like hours, jumping with every shatter or thud from downstairs.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
