rain
noun
water that is condensed from the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere and falls to earth in drops more than 0.02 inch (0.5 millimeters) in diameter.
had been raining
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past perfect progressiveof rain.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.
It had been raining and the ground was muddy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2025
It had been raining for days when Tropical Storm Fred swept through western North Carolina this week, killing at least four people, with four others unaccounted for.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 21, 2021
But her gym was closed, and it had been raining nonstop in Richardson, Texas, where she lives.
From New York Times ● May 6, 2020
It had been raining for the last few days, and all that water falling on the mountain had to go somewhere.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2018
It had been raining all morning, and now it starts again.
From "Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
