receive
verb (used with object)
to take into one's possession (something offered or delivered).
had been receiving
-
past perfect progressiveof receive.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.
My husband and I had been receiving our Social Security benefits by direct deposit until our checking account was hacked several times earlier this year.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
The child was born with Amish lethal microcephaly, a rare genetic disorder associated with a severely shortened life expectancy, and had been receiving palliative care since shortly after birth.
From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026
She said she had been receiving messages all day from her fans who had been telling her, “Wow, my eyes have been opened.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
At Chulalongkorn Hospital, where Bajrakitiyabha had been receiving treatment, mourners gathered Friday to pay their respects -- some clutching portraits of the late princess.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
For thirty years she had been receiving money from him from America.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
